Daughter of a Victor
by Cometas Por El Cielo
Summary: [in the process of chapter-by-chapter edits, slow; complete] AU Twelve-year-old Ever Abernathy is the daughter of the drunk winner of the 50th Hunger Games. When she is chosen as a District 12 tribute for the 72nd, will she survive, or will she suffer the typical District 12 tribute fate?
1. Ever Abernathy

**Chapter revised on: 12/29/2012**

**Important: As of late December 2011, I began revising this fic. It's not all that excellent and I really need to fix it. At the top of every chapter, there will be a thing in bold like this [Chapter revised on: m/dd/yyyy]. If that is not at the top of a chapter, it has no been revised. So any abysmal writing is of ocurse, my fault, but it hasn't been revised yet.**

**As of 1/7/2012, this first chapter is the only one revised.**

A/N: I only own characters you do not recognize from Hunger Games, Catching Fire or Mockingjay

A/N2: This story will be mostly AU. It will still have the same characters, just with different events and lots of OCs :)

* * *

**Ever Abernathy**

* * *

_Haymitch..._

I remember the 60th Hunger Games perfectly. Sometimes, the memories are even clearer than the 50th Hunger Games, the ones I actually took part in. The 60th Hunger Games are among the most memorable, for me. It is the year that Rose Fairchild, my fiancée, was the female tribute for our district, District 12. When the District 12 escort called out, "Rose Fairchild," it was like the whole world was picked up and spun around a few thousand times before coming to crashing halt. Rose quickly passed the tiny thing in her arms to the young Seam girl standing next to her and put on a brave face as she made her way to the stage.

I of course, as the only living victor of District 12 I was the mentor for her and the boy from District 12. I was hoping- no, praying!- that Rose would come out victorious. I told her everything I knew. I told her to avoid the bloodbath at the Cornucopia. Rose assured me she knew what she was doing and that she would avoid it. She and the girl from District 9 already had an alliance.

On the fourth day of the Games, Rose was murdered by her fellow District 12 tribute when he ambushed her and her ally. I wanted to jump into the arena and kill that bastard myself. Instead of me having to do it, the girl from District 9 killed him that evening. "I know that these are the Hunger Games and all, but it's kind of against the moral code to kill your District partner," She said as she delivered the death blow with an ax. She would later go on to win. I think her name was Raewyn Navara or something like that.

Whatever her name was, I wanted to hug her.

I can't remember a time that I had wanted to cry so much, but didn't.

I couldn't. I had to be strong. For her.

No, I am not talking about being strong for Rose Fairchild.

I had to be strong for the tiny thing Rose had handed the Seam girl before accepting her death sentance. The thing she had handed her was in fact, a four-month-old baby girl. My four-month-old.

Ever Elizabeth Abernathy. That's the name Rose gave her. Ever was so young at the time. She has no memories of Rose. At the time of her death, Rose was 18- turning 19 in two months. Ever was her everything. Rose wanted to survive so badly for her. That didn't happen.

I wanted to marry her after Ever was born. Rose insisted on waiting a few months, until after the Games.

Not thinking she would be a Tribute, I agreed. The odds were in her favor. She was the niece of the District 12 schoolmaster. Nobody, not even doctors make much money in District 12, but doctors, the mayor and schoolmasters all have enough money to feed their families. This means that Rose, her older brother, her younger brother and her three younger cousins would never have to sign up for tesserae. At the time of the reaping for the 60th Hunger Games, her name was only in for drawing seven times. Her younger brother, at 14, had his name in three times. Her younger cousins, ages 13 , 14 and 16 had theirs in two, three and five times.

When Ever was born, Rose and I decided we would try keeping her a secret from the Capitol. We took all of the possible precautions; the baby was a home birth and we kept the only copy of her birth records hidden in the house at Victor's Village. The last name thing wouldn't be an issue, because Rose was going to educate her at home, as there are no laws dictating children to go to school. Rose was also going to keep her at home while I mentored in the Capitol.

But then Rose was reaped. I had to mentor. Ever had to come along.

That was the end of our plan to protect our daughter from the Capitol.

Every year after Rose's death I would have to bring my little girl to the Capitol. There, she was by my side almost every waking moment and often when she was asleep, too. So of course the Capitol caught on.

The Capitol citizens like their gossip magazines. Every "Hunger Games season" a special edition of one of the gossip magazines in printed out. It is basically a victor stalker issue full of pictures of past victors in the Capitol now and there is a twenty or thirty page section devoted to the victor kids. There is always a five-page article about the five cutest "victor kids." Much to my annoyance, stealthily captured pictures of Ever often ended up on those pages.

Needless to say, the plan to keep her a secret failed miserably.

So, I guess I can't blame her for her protests on the afternoon of her first reaping.

"Ever Elizabeth Abernathy, get up!" I scream at her.

"No!" She yells back.

"Damn it Ever, if you don't shut up and come with me right this second-!"

"You'll what? Hit me? Break a bottle on my head? You're too chicken!"

I pull harder on Ever's legs. "Ever! Come! On!" I say in between tugs.

"I don't want to! What if I get reaped?"

"You're not going! Your name is in there once and only once. Your chances are close to zero! Think about your friends!"

"I'm not going!"

"Ivy and Joshua Hopeflame are your age and their names are in five times each! The odds are in your favor!"

Ever lets go of her headboard and allows herself to fall to the ground. She hits her head on the hardwood floor. "Ouch!" She complains.

"That wouldn't have happened if you had just gotten ready for the Reaping when I told you to."

She rolls her eyes and mumbles something under her breath.

"What was that?" I ask her, taking another sip of whiskey.

She plugs her nose and fans her hand parallel to her face. "Firstly, your breath smells like whiskey again. Secondly, I can't believe you are drunk on the day of your only child's first reaping. Thirdly, I said nothing."

"Thirdly, I said nothing." I mock in a rather immature manner.

Ever rolls her eyes again. " Daddy, you're more of a child than I am."

"Whatever." I mumble, grabbing her hand as we begin to walk toward the Justice Building. She quickly yanks it away, protesting about how she isn't a little kid anymore. "Could have fooled me, what with the tantrum you threw this morning. She sticks out her tongue.

"Real mature." I say sarcastically.

* * *

_Ever..._

Daddy just doesn't get it.

Not at all.

The day of the reaping...it is terrible for more reasons than one.

Daddy never tells me about the 50th games- even if ask him when he's totally wasted. The 60th Games are another story. I ask him about my mom a lot and he is always more than happy to answer my inquiries. Most of them involve the 60th Games. She died on the fourth day of the 60th Hunger Games, four months after my birth. He reminds me of that often. He always says how wonderful she was and how she would have won if she hadn't been killed by the District 12 male Tribute that year. I was worried about the Reaping, more than a normal person should. Both of my parents were Tributes. Rose Fairchild, my mother, was of course killed. Haymitch Abernathy, my father, of course is a victor, the second victor to come out of District 12 and the only living one.

Often, I wonder what it was like for him to watch two children be brought to him each year for him to have to send to the slaughter.

When we get to the Justice Building, I find myself reaching up and grabbing his arm, clinging to it like a terrified five-year-old.

He chuckles, "I thought you didn't _want_ to hold my hand."

"I changed my mind." I say, my words muffled from burying my head into his chest. His clothes reek of alcohol, but I don't care. The smell is the least of my worries. All I care about is the fact that my father is still beside me, and clinging to him seems like the best way to be sure of it. A stray tear burns a path down my right cheek. I feel it be wiped away.

Despite the fact that he is almost always intoxicated, he's still always been a loving father.

"No crying, sweetheart." He kisses my forehead.

"Okay." _The reaping hasn't even started yet Ever! Don't start blubbering now!_

"Evy! Evy!" Called several familiar voices. I looked up to see Josh and Ivy Hopeflame, along with Kenton Hale and Damien Gilead- my friends. They all live in the Seam. Kenton and Damien are a bit older than me, at age 15. Josh and Ivy are 12, like me.

"Hey guys." I say softly.

Daddy smiles. "I'll leave you to your friends."

I open my mouth to protest, but he has already managed to pry his arm from my grip.

I turn to my friends to start a conversation, but before I can even open my mouth, the District 12 escort, Tanith Rudo steps up to the stage outside of the Justice Building. She gives the normal spiel about how much of an honor it is to represent our district in the Games and how she is very excited to meet the tributes. "Ladies first!" She finishes. She reaches her hand into the large bin that holds the names of all of the girls in District 12, ages 12-18. She pulls one out takes a deep breath looks at it, and looks up, puzzled.

Finally, she takes another breath and loudly announces the name. "Ever Abernathy," She lifts her head and looks around, as if trying to figure out which girl in the District looks like Haymitch's kid. Just as stunned, most of the residents of District 12 are whispering amongst themselves.

"I didn't know Haymitch had a daughter!"

"A neice?"

"Who let that drunk reproduce?"

"I never thought _she _would be reaped."

"Must be a set up."

"The Games are rigged this year,"

"Wouldn't put it past the Capitol,"

"I wonder what Abernathy did to piss off the President this year, eh?"

I ignore the whispers as I walk up to the stage. Tanith Rudo has to bend down to get a good look at me. "Are you Ever Abernathy?"

"Last time I checked." I say, causing the crowd to nervously giggle.

"How...how old are you?"

"12, ma'am."

The crowd begins mumbling again, the same way they do in every district when the name of a 12-year-old is drawn.

The reality of the moment finally sets in. I begin frantically looking around the stage for my father. Even a drunken father would be comforting right now. I finally find him. He looks as if he is about to faint. After I memorize his exact location, I begin looking around for volunteers.

_Somebody! Anybody!_ I know I can rule out Josh, Damien and Kenton and all my other guy friends- they're boys. I'm not about to let Ivy take my place, she was twelve too. I have no other girl friends. _What about one of the Fairchild girls, my cousins on my mother's side? _No, doesn't look like I will get any help from them either. It is all I can do to keep from bursting into tears. I glance over at Daddy once more. "Daddy...help." I mouth.

"I'm sorry, baby girl." He mouths back.

"Now, for our male tribute!"

She reaches into the large bin and pulls out a name. She opens her mouth to read it.


	2. Haymitch's Little Tribute

**A/N: I own several characters in this story, but so far, the only tribute that is of my creation is Ever Abernathy. All others were submitted by other authors on FF and credit goes to them!**

A/N2: Tributes still needed: District 2 female, District 3 male, both for 4, District 5 female, both for 6, boy for 7, both for 8, boy for 9 & 10 and boy for 11. :)

**A/N3: GAH I know ch. one was in past tense, but present tense seems easier for this story! Sorry I'm switching it, hope it's not too confusing!**

* * *

**Haymitch's Little Tribute**

* * *

_Ever..._

I hold my breath and twirl my chestnut brown hair around my fingers as Tanith Rudo announces the name of my fellow Twelve tribute. "Robert Hester!"

I gasp. _Robbie..._ I frantically scan the crowd for him. I finally find him, standing near the baker and his family with his father and brother- the mother died in a mining accident a few years back. His green eyes lock with my brown ones for a split second before he makes his way to the stage. He gives me an odd look as he takes his place next to me. It was almost a look of pity, somewhat one of disgust, but also one of relief. He has to be at least six feet tall, maybe more. In other words, he is scary enough without looking at me like he knows I will be an easy kill. Perhaps it was the knowledge of which Tribute killed my mother that made me so wary of my district partner, however, it could just as easily be the fact that I know his personality. Rough, tough, quick to fight.

Daddy's drunk. _Really really _drunk. He goes to give Tanith a big hug. She tries to evade it, but fails.

I, along with all of Twelve and probably a lot of Panem begin laughing hysterically. I look at Robbie. He is stoic.

Tanith gives her ending speech and the anthem on Panem played.

The whole time, I stand there, frozen. I don't even think I blinked- perhaps my heart even stopped. It felt like everything in the world was continuing on but me. I do not return to reality until I smell the liquor and felt a hand gently touch mine. Daddy is staggering, as usual. He guidesme to where the Peacekeepers are. Ugh, those people have given me the creeps since I can remember. The Peacekeepers lead us inside the Justice Building. Once inside, Robbie and I are each brought to separate rooms and left alone.

As much as I hate to admit, it was one of the nicest places I'd been in. Sure, our house in Victor's Village is kinda nice, but it is always messy. Wine, whiskey and vodka bottles strewn everywhere, half-eaten plates of food, dirty clothes and old towels- despite my efforts to keep the place clean, it is always re- defiled within 48 hours. Us Abernathy's just aren't known for our cleanliness. Being drunk. That's the only thing I can hope to be good at.

Growing up, I accompanied my father to the Games almost every year. Daddy and Chaff, his friend from District 11, often jokingly offered me a sip of something from a bottle. Once, when I was about eight, I accepted and Chaff let me take a sip. I spit it out all over the District 2 mentor, causing Chaff and Daddy to laugh until they were on the floor in tears, holding their stomachs and gasping for air.

I am pulled away from my memories when the large double doors open. _Right. The hour Tributes have to say goodbye to their loved ones._

In walk my my mother's brothers. "Uncle Rexton! Uncle Raphael!" I exclaim, running into their open arms. But then I remember, I have to hate them right now because none of their daughters offered to go in their 12-year-old cousins place. Uncle Raphael, the older of my uncles, seems to sense my changing emotions. "Nina wanted to go in your place, she was about to volunteer, but Caleb reminded her that she has three younger sisters."

_Cousin Caleb. Figures. He hates me, always has._

Uncle Rexton gives me another hug. "If Ziva were old enough, she would have volunteered. You know how much she loves you."

I nod. Uncle Rexton and his wife, Susan have always been my favorite Aunt and Uncle. Their children, my favorite cousins. "It's okay Uncle." I say to them both.

Uncle Rexton pulls something out of his coat pocket. "You're allowed to have one token from home."

"Yes." I say, pressing him on.

"Hold out your hand."

I obey.

He drops the object into my hand.

I examine it. It is a silver chain with two rings on it. I look up at my uncles.

"It was Rose's." Uncle Raphael explains vaguely. He always referred to my mother as 'Rose' and never, 'your mother.'

Uncle Rexton goes into more detail. "The smaller ring was passed down in our family for generations. It's a little mockingjay. It was made for a young girl, that's why it's so small. The slightly larger one...well, that was your mothers' engagement ring. From your father."

"Why doesn't he have it?" I ask them, putting the ring necklace around my neck.

Rexton's perpetual smile fades. "You see, Ever...damn, I wish I told you this story sooner."

"How come?"

"It's a long, emotional story, and I don't have enough time. Long story short; when my sister was killed in the area, Haymitch nearly went insane. You were the only thing keeping him going. He loved Rose with all his heart and had this happy vision of her winning, the two of them getting married, and you having a good family. When I brought him the ring, it was too much for him. He said he couldn't bear to look at it every day and think of what should have been. I asked him if I could keep it and he told me I could as long as I promised to take care of it. I put it on a chain with the ring she wore as a child. I think it's best it goes to you now."

"Wow," I breathe, admiring the token. "I didn't know my father had like, real emotions."

Uncle Rexton's smile returns and my lame attempt at humor. "She'd want you to have it."

"Thank you." I whisper, just before a Peacekeeper comes in, telling us that our time is up and the next visitor must come in.

"Goodbye, Ever." Uncle Rexton whispers in my ear as he hugs me.

I stop the burning tears before they can fall. "Goodbye Uncle Rexton. Uncle Raphael."

I know my next visitor wouldn't be my father, since we will have time on the train. I am not expecting anybody else, but Ivy, Josh and Damien all pile into the room. Ivy immediately throws her arms around me and cries. "Ivy, not good support, here."

"I-I-I'm so so so s-sorry Ever! It's j-j-just-"

Josh puts a hand on his sister's shoulder and finished her thoughts, "She's loves you so much, almost like a sister, and well...we all know what happen to Lauren and Jared."

I nod soberly. Lauren and Jared Hopeflame, Josh and Ivy's older brother and sister. They were Tributes two years after each other. Both died. Lauren only last year.

"I'm sorry. I should be encouraging."

"It's okay Ivy." Before I know it, the Peacekeepers are ushering them out.

Lastly, Kenton Rainriver, my big brother walks in. Un-biological brother. Brother by choice. He immediately hugs me. "Kick those Careers asses, okay?"

"I understand that I'm not coming back. No need to pretend I am." I say honestly.

Kenton punches my shoulder. "DON'T say crap like that! You WILL survive and when you get home, were going to go running and have a hell of a time!" Running is mine and Kenton's code word for 'hunting.'

Sure, I have no need to risk my life, but hunting was fun. Kenton learned his hunting skills from Gale Hawthorne, an older boy who pretty much took him under his wing. I've met Gale but once and to be honest, he scares the life out of me. Kenton took me under his when I was seven and he was ten. "Kenton, don't-"

"You WILL Ever. You have to." He hugs me again and harshly whispers, "Get a bow and arrow, a few knives, anything that will help you survive."

"Kenton, I'm not that good. You re the expert with the bow and arrow."

"You're good for a twelve-year-old girl. It'll give you an edge."

"Kenton, come on. In District 12, Tribute means the same thing as corpse."

He squeezes my hand. "The Ever I know would fight anyway, no matter what the odds."

I wrap my arms around him and let the tears fall.

"Shhh, it'll be okay, Ev."

"No it won't." I argue through my tears.

He hugs me tighter.

Right then, the Peacekeepers come to take Kenton away.

"Tributes follow me!" Calls one. Robbie and I both walk out of the separate rooms we were in.

I look around for my father, but he was nowhere in sight. Robbie and I ride with Tanith Rudo and two Peacekeepers to the train station. I love car rides. In District 12, the opportunity is rare. I glance over at my district partner. Unlike me, Robbie doesn't seem to be trying to enjoy the ride.

"Hey Robbie?" I ask him.

"What do you want _kid_?" He snaps back.

I clench my fists, ready to punch out his teeth.

Tanith sees this and puts a cold hand on my right fist. "Don't." She warns.

I unclench my fists and lookup at Robbie. "Never mind." _I hope Daddy lets him die. _Then I quickly scratch that thought. Daddy hates having to watch kids die each year.

As soon as I step on the tribute train, I expect a hug from Daddy. Instead, there is a little table with _tons_ of food. I shouldn't have expected any different. It's the same routine every year. Though, I never get to eat with the tributes. I stay holed up in Daddy's compartment and he brings me food.

Tanith, Robbie and I begin to eat in silence when Daddy finally walks in.

"Finally! The lousy drunk arrives!" Says Robbie loudly.

I give him a death glare, Tanith's mouth makes a perfect O shape and Daddy just smirks at him, obviously more than a little buzzed.

"A smart one, eh?" He says, examining him. "Let's hope you can fight." He doesn't acknowledge me. That hurts.

He sits beside me though, which I guess helps. Robbie and I pile our plates with whatever looks good. We pick up forks and knives and spoons and begin eating.

Tanith looks at us and smiles proudly. "At least you two have table manners. The two last year at with their fingers like savages! It was appalling!"

Robbie and I both glare at her. The pair last year, Lauren and Gregory, were two kids from the Seam who never had enough to eat. Table manners were surely not something they cared about when they had this good meal. Robbie and I share a devious glance. Almost on cue, the two of us load our fingers with mashed potatoes, gravy, peas and ham and shove them in our mouths. "Mmm." Robbie says.

"Good." I finish for him.

Tanith looks completely disgusted.

For the grand finale, I wipe my hands on my jeans.

Tanith nearly faints.

Daddy is laughing so hard that he causes the bottle he is drinking from to shatter on the floor and he doesn't even notice.

I sigh and clean up the mess like I do at home. I love my father, but he's so drunk all the time that the majority of the housework falls on me. When I sit back down, I make a conscious effort to eat the rest of the meal with my fingers and constantly wipe them on my jeans.

"The three of you would do well to learn more about presenting yourselves!" Scolds Tanith.

"Blah, blah, blah." I say, tossing a pea into the air and opening my mouth to catch it.

The four of sit in silence for a while before Robbie speaks up. "So you are supposed to help us out, right Haymitch? Give us advice?"

He shrugs. "Stay alive."

Robbie throws all his weight across the table, taking both me and my father down. "You think this is a joke? No wonder every tribute from Twelve dies!"

"Shut up Robbie!" I shout.

"I don't need to be bossed around by a little baby."

"Oh! That's IT!" I shout, hopping up.

Tanith pleads with us to stop fighting.

Right before my fist connects with his face, I smell the liquor and feel the hand stopping my fist. "No fighting...yet." He says.

I nod and put my fist down.

Robbie smirks triumphantly.

"Both of you!" Daddy says seriously. He hands us both a knife. "I want you to throw those knives at me with the intent to kill."

"But-" I begin to protest.

"No buts, Ever. You throw first. As soon as the knife leaves her hand, Robbie, I want you to throw yours. Understand?" He says harshly.

"Y-yes." I stutter.

"Got it." Says Robbie firmly.

I throw the knife as hard as I can, aiming for his shoulder. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Robbie throw his. Daddy dodges mine and catches Robbie's in one quick motion. "Hm..." He says.

"HMM...what?" Robbie shoots back.

"Both knives went in a straight line once you threw them. I'm guessing that if you two really wanted to kill me, and I wasn't expecting it...well, I'd be dead by now. It looks like I've got some fighters this year."

_Killing. I almost forgot that's what these stupid Games are about. _"Um, do we really have to kill people?"

"Do you want to die a violent and painful death?"

"No?" I say slowly.

"Then yes. You have to kill people." Daddy is giving me the same cold look he gives all the tributes. Is one fatherly hug really that much to ask?

I look down silently.

A few second pass before he speaks again. "I'll get you two as far in the Games as I can, but you have to do _exactly _what I say."

Robbie nods.

"Anything." I mummer. I don't see the use. If anyone on this train is going to win the Games, it is Robbie. The 18-year-old boy with muscles to spare. Against him, I stood no chance. Me, a girl who is barely twelve. Sure, I have _some _muscle, but I am still very tiny.

Tanith turns our attention to the television. We watch the other reapings. Tanith takes furious notes while Daddy opens up another bottle and takes a sip.

Robbie and I however, are glued to the television. Unlike Tanith, we intend to commit every detail about these tributes to memory. Starting with District 1.

First the anthem of Panem. Then the names start flying at us.

Trendy Twilight is the name of the eighteen-year-old girl with blonde curls and blue-grey eyes from One. She rushes forward to volunteer after a girl who looks about 16 named Sparkle Bloomsparkle was called. Sparkle Bloomsparkle looked mad that Trendy Twilight volunteered. It was obvious Sparkle wanted to go, and Trendy was sure she could win.

City Ballantine is the name of the boy tribute from One. He looks younger than Trendy and Robbie, but older than me. City has brown hair and really nice eyes. Too bad I have to think about killing him. He's kind of- no, _really_- cute.

The girl from Two has a pretty cool name...and nice hair...if I cared about girly crap like that.

Slate Fallon is the boy from Two. He calmly responds to the reaping.

Zayna Code from Three... something about her _really _stands out to me. Maybe it's the fact that she is dressed like a kid from Twelve, though she is from a rich District. Her jeans are pretty oily and her grey T-shirt looks clean...enough. "Tanith! Can you possibly rewind Three?" I ask hurriedly.

"Um, y-yeah. Sure." She says, rewinding Zayna's reaping.

I pay attention to where Zayna starts walking from. The only person she is really standing _with_ is another girl, a few years younger than her. Can't be family. Zayna has pale skin while the girl she is standing with has brown skin. Not as dark brown as Chaff's though. (Think Latina. :])

"Do you want be to rewind it again?" Asks Tanith.

"No, no. I've seen what I wanted to. Thank you." I say.

We continue on.

The boy from Three looks scared out of his mind.

The redheaded girl from Four looks about 12. But certain, erm, _physical features_ suggest somewhere in the 14-16 range...just really short.

The boy from Four doesn't stand out to me in any way what so ever. He may be one of the few from the career Districts that gets weeded out early.

The girl from Five seems absolutely nonchalant. I wonder why, but then I think back. The year Ivy and Josh's brother, Jared, was a tribute, a girl with the same last name as this year's Five tribute won. Last year, a boy with the same last name as them took out both kids from Twelve and later, became the victor. It hits me. This is the younger sister of two victors.

The boy from Five is originally "Daren Phillips." But a 12-year-old boy who was calmly standing in the front suddenly changes his demeanor altogether and screams, "Let me go!" Then just like that, "Darren Philips!" was safe and this 12-year-old boy was off to the Arena. I think his last name is Quinley.

The girl from Six looks very scary. Almost as big as Robbie and the Career boys. Not fat. All muscle.

The boy from Six is older than me and the boy from Five- WAY older. But he looks more scared than me and the Quinley kid put together.

Hollie Stern in the girl from Seven. She doesn't look very intimidating, but several boys back away from her as she walks to the stage. From that, I'm just guessing she can fight and she hits hard. Whether it's with fists or blunt objects, I never want to know.

The boy from Seven naturally looks more scary than Hollie, but I assume he's really nice from the sad looks the crowd gives. A girl his age kisses him on the lips. _Girlfriend. _I think.

Both tributes from Eight look unimpressive. And that's from a weakling point of view like mine.

I am expecting the same from Nine. Until "Asia Heddvig!" is called. When asked how old she it, she replies, "Thirteen." I grab the remote and pause it. "Thirteen?" I ask myself. I un-pause it and hear Asia from Nine add, "As of two months ago." I bite my lip. I am 12...as of _four _months ago. I am barely eligible and she is practically still 12 herself. I see Lissana Heddvig- the victor of the 66th Games give her a pat on the back and a good luck kiss on the check. "Hedvigg, Hedvigg, Hedvigg...H-" I whisper to myself.

My father catches on to what I am thinking. "They are sisters." He says aloud before whispering so only I could hear. "You met her during the 69th Games."

I nod and turn back to the television.

The boy from Nine walks up quickly when his name is called. He wears glasses, but very thin-rimmed ones.

Nevaeh Tierney of Ten seems very...odd. Maybe in a good way. I feel bad that she's in the Games. Someone like her seems like she can contribute a lot. Oh well, it is what it is. Maybe she'll at least win.

The boy from Ten who ends up being a tribute volunteers for a boy who was supposed to go. The boy is originally reaped was trying to look brave, but his nervousness wasn't hidden. I immediately respect the boy tribute from Ten for what he did.

Elina Herb, the 14-year-old girl from Eleven seems like a worthy competitor...for the other worthy competitors. Me? She'll crush like a bug. Not without me inflicting a few battle scars myself, but I will surely be the one who dies if we face off. At first, I was expecting her to have dark skin like Chaff, but instead, her skin was the same color as Robbie's. _She must be from the small upper class in Eleven...it's even smaller than Twelve's upper class. _In Eleven, those with pale skin, or those with dark skin and fine clothes are usually the upper class. A tribute form them is rare. Really rare. Usually, they pay off a poorer kid to go in their place. Not this time. Elina Herb has paid nobody off to go in her place. She _wants _to go...like a Career. This realization makes me shiver.

The boy from Eleven isn't nearly as eager, but isn't as scared as me, the Quinley kid- definitely not as scared as the boy from Six.

Then they show Twelve's reaping again.

My name being called. Me, a 4 foot 8 and a half, 90 pound girl walking up to the stage. Daddy and I mouthing back and forth to each other. The wind blowing when Tanith asks for volunteer. Robbie being called. The anthem. End program.

"I'll kick all their measly tails." Robbie says cockily.

I roll my eyes.

"Don't be so sure Robert." My father says, using his full first name, earning a glare from him.

The four of us decide to go to bed.

I have my won compartment this year, but I don't go into it. Instead, I wait until Tanith, Robbie and my father are all in theirs and I make my way to my father's. I angrily knock on his door.

"Hello Ever." He says without looking. He reeks of alcohol, though not as badly as usual.

"What was that out there?"

"What was what?"

"Exactly! You didn't even acknowledge me, but to remind me that I met Asia Hedvigg's older sister! I was expecting a hug or at least a squeeze of my hand. Something- _any_thing to tell me that everything will be alright!"

He waits for me to finish before saying, "I wanted to do that what it was just us two."

I fold my arms over my chest. "Jerk!"

He sighs and hugs me.

I try to pull away but even when he's drunk he is too strong for me to escape. After my failed escape attempt, I hug him back. No, _cling _to him, like I did before the reaping today. Only this time, he clings to me too. Though he won't admit it, he is just as sure as I am that I will not make it out of that arena alive. I reach into my canvas bag and pull out nine envelopes. I am crying when I explain them. "These nine envelopes...they're for my closest friends, Uncle Rexton, Uncle Raphael, Ziva, Nina...and there's one for you. But don't read it yet. They're for when I...when I-" That's it. I cannot form anymore words. The tears fall harder.

He gently kisses my forehead and picks me up and sets me on his lap, like he did when I was little. I lean into his jacket, not caring about the smell. He let's me cry all I want. When I look up, he notices the ring necklace. He holds the rings and part of the chain in his hand. "Where'd you get this?" he asks.

"Uncle Rexton gave it to me. It's my token. He said...he said they were Mom's."

He swallows. Holding back tears, no doubt.

I hug him. "He said you really loved her. That's why you didn't keep the engagement ring. He said you said it hurt to much."

He flashes me a half-smile. "I loved her more than anything. Then when you were born- well, I had another reason to love her."

"Aw, Daddy." I say sheepishly. Wow. He has like, legit human emotions! "You think she'd..." I trail off, deciding not to ask the question I was about to ask,

"Hm?"

"Never mind."

"Ask. Go ahead."

"You think Mom would like me? Like, as I am now?"

He's stunned. "Of course she would. You're a lot like her. She'd be happy to have a little minion...that's what she liked to joke about. 'Haymitch, me and Ever here will make your life hell. I'm going to train her to be my little minion. That means _two _nagging women!'" He says, lost in a memory. He returns to reality. "That's what she said when you were about a month old."

I smiled. It isn't often that he talks about Mom. I have to press really hard to get information. I guess the rings triggered memories he had to let slip.

He shrugs sadly. "She'd want you to have it." Daddy says, letting the rings and chain fall to my shirt.

I yawn.

"I think it's bedtime." he says.

"I'm not sleepy." I insist.

He pretends to yawn.

I yawn for real. I giggle sleepily. "You're mean."

"I know."

"Can I sleep in here tonight? The train scares me alone." I am sure he knows it is really because I want to stay near him, but he pretends to buy my scary train excuse.

"Sure, sweetie." He says. Making space for me on the bed.

I put my head where his feet were.

"Your feet smell."

"So do yours. Now shut up." I say sleepily.


	3. Stylists and Tributes and Victors Oh My

**Stylists and Tributes and Victors- Oh My!**

* * *

_Haymitch..._

The next morning, I wake up to find Ever curled up next to me. I smile and pull her closer, then pretend to sleep.

"Morning, Daddy." She says, eyes closed but obviously awake.

"'Morning Ev."

"Up,up, up! We're almost there!" Tanith's voice shouts, banging on the door.

"Ugh, I'm going to kill her."

"Not if I kill her first." Ever says, just as annoyed and I am.

I smile, "I've taught you well." I open the door.

"Haymitch, have you seen Ever. I can't seem to find that daughter of yours anywhere."

"She's here with me." I say, moving aside so she could Ever, who was sitting on the foot of the bed putting on her shoes.

"Oh. Well both of you, hurry up. Robert is already ready."

"'Course he is!" Ever exclaims, hurrying out so I could get dressed.

* * *

_Ever..._

"How much longer 'till we're at the Capitol?" I ask Robbie.

He runs his fingers through his black hair and shrugs.

"That's not an answer." I say.

"Ten, fifteen minutes. I don't know, that's what Tanith said. Leave me alone, Abernerdy."

I cringe. A lot of people call me Abernerdy. Mostly the older kids. The insult actually applies. I'm awkward, smart (therefore a geek!), I don't talk to people my age; that just makes me look like a depressed loser- I guess I brought the name upon myself. Daddy doesn't know about to bullying. If I have anything to do with it, he never will.

Daddy sits down next to me with a glass of water and a few aspirin for his hangover. "You kids aren't going to like what your prep teams are about to do to you. Just go with it, do _not _complain."

"What! A prep team? You mean I have to wear make-up and shi-"

"Language, young lady."

I roll my eyes and sit back down.

"Yes, you so have to wear make-up and the like."

"I don't wanna!"

"You have to. Please, both of you, just go with it. It will make your lives for the next few days a lot more bearable."

"Whatever." Robbie and I say in unison.

The tribute train pulls into the station. Capitol citizen's wave at us. I glare at them. Until Tanith reprimands me. "Smile and wave. They might be rich and sponsor you."

I quickly change my attitude and smile warmly and wave like I care.

Before we leave the train, Daddy round Robbie and I up together one last time. "Be nice to the other tributes." He says. "I want you to be friendly with them, make connections. That way, when you are in the Arena, you will have a better chance at having allies."

"How drunk are you? We'll have to kill them." Robbie argues, but truly, not caring.

"If you and your allies get far enough to where you think it might come to that, call of the alliances and let someone else finish them off so oyu don't have to. Trust me, alliances help, no matter how temporary. Got it?"

"Got it." I say.

"Eh." Robbie shrugs.

(A/N: I'm just going to give Ever and Robbie, Cinna and Portia as stylists)

_Snip. snip, snip._

I wince as Flavius cuts my hair. My long, waist-length hair, which I love. He is now making it shoulder-length, but it will surely grow out a little before the Games start. But I don't complain.

_Clip, clip, clip._

I bite my lip and Venia cuts my finger and toenails, which are not very long to begin with. Crap, she's painting them all red. But I don't complain.

_Rip!_

"AH!" I scream when Octavia waxes my legs. It hurts terribly, but other than the occasional scream of pain, I don't complain. I wonder how Robbie is holding up.

"Oh, just wait 'till Cinna gets a hold of you!" Venia says.

"Oh, yes! You will look fantastic!" Flavius adds.

"We can only do so much." Octavia says.

I want to punch her, but I don't. I guess they don't know how offensive they are being. "There isn't much reason to look pretty in District 12." I say.

Octavia clasps her hand together like she is looking at a toddler. "Oh, I know."

Venia follows suit. "Oh, you poor thing!"

"Let's call Cinna." Says Flavius.

They hurry out. I am expecting an idiot as my stylist. Someone who looks so ridiculous that that I would die laughing before the other tributes could have a go at me in the arena. I am shocked when I discover how wrong I am about Cinna. The man walks into the room with a smile. "EEK!" I squeal when I realize Cinna is _indeed _a man. I grab my robe and put it on.

He chuckles. "There is nothing to worry about."

"Oh, you're gay?" I ask hopefully.

"No, I am not. I am just not a sick pervert."

"Oh thank goodness." I say, tying the robe together with a smile. "You must be Cinna. I'm-" I hold out my hand to shake his.

He cuts me off. "Ever, I know." He shakes my hand and smiles at me before adding, "Beautiful name by the way."

"Thank you." I blush, don't know why.

He circles around my body. Though he already assured me that he isn't a pervert, I have to resist the urge to kick him between the legs.

When he is done circling me like a creeper, I say, "You're new."

"Hm?" He replies in his quiet voice.

"You're new. I haven't seen you at the games before."

"This is my first year."

"I figured. That's the only way a stylist for the Games could get stuck with Twelve."

He shakes his head. "I put in a specific request for 12. So are you ready?"

Something comes over me at that moment. "Anything but being naked!" I plead with him.

He chokes on the sip of water he just took. "What was that?" Cinna manages between coughs.

"Don't make me do the chariot ride naked! My friend Ivy's sister had to do that last year."

Cinna laughs, "No nakedness."

"Promise?"

"Yes."

"Pinky promise?" I hold out my pinky.

He does the same. "Pinky promise."

"You do realize that in District Twelve, if someone breaks a pinky promise, the other person gets to break their pinky, right?"

"I do now."

"Still going to hold to your promise? Speak now or face my wrath."

"I still hold to my promise."

The ice cold gaze on my face softens to my natural little girl face. "Okay!"

"Hm...I wasn't expecting someone so tiny, but it will work."

"What will?"

"The costume." He pulls out some kind of fabric and a tape measure and measures my arms, leg, neck, head, waist and chest.

"I feel like a science experiment."

Cinna laughs softly.

"Wait, I said that out loud?" I ask.

"Yes." He replies, cutting some fabric.

A few hours later, I am dressed in a simple unitard with a flowing cape.

"Tell me, are you pyrophobic?"

"Erm, pyrowhatta?"

"Pyro_phobic_. Meaning, does fire scare you?"

"No, not really. Why?"

"I'm going to set you on fire."

"Very funny."

"No, really. Not real fire. Synthetic fire. Your cape. Chariot."

"Seriously!"

"Seriously."

"Oh no..."

Because of my young age, Cinna didn't want to put make-up on me. He wanted the audience to recognize me for me and not some girl with a painted face.

Though I hate his guts, I am relieved to see Robbie. "Did your stylists tell you the plan?"

"Yeah, Portia told me everything. Where's Haymitch? You'd think he'd stop the insane stylists form getting to us."

"I don't trust him around fire. Or with sharp objects." I joke. _Though he sleeps with a knife..._

Robbie gives me a look of approval. Not a smile, but approval. "Good luck, Abernerdy." He says, winking an olive green eye at me.

I scowl.

"You'll need it." He walks off. We are soon stuck together again when we are put on the chariots. Cinna and Portis, Robbie's stylist, light our hedresses and capes.

"Heads high! They'll love you!" Cinna shouts with a smile.

"Smile!" Portia orders.

Soon, the entire Capitol is cheering for District Twelve. Cinna was right. _They DO love us!_

I smiles as the crowd chants, "Dis-trcit Twelve! Dis-trict Twelve!"

Robbie is actually smiling.

By the end of the ride, it is impossible to hear ourselves think over the cheers. "Dis-trict Twelve! Dis-trict Twelve!" We stop in front of President Snow's mansion and he gives to official welcome speech. At the training center, there is a tower reserved specifically for the tributes, their mentors and their escorts. Each district has their own floor, but everyone eats in the same dining hall.

Finding the rooms is always easy. You just press the number of your District, and you're there. To get to the dining hall, you press button G, meaning ground floor. Simple enough to remember. _You say that know, but remember when you were little? Good thing Daddy has friends._

I used to get lost in the tower all the time, accidentally pressing the wrong button and ending up on the wrong person's floor. Luckily, Chaff or Beetee- a man from District 3- or some other mentor or victor would usually find me and take me to Twelve. The last time that happened, I was seven. Good thing I don't get lost anymore.

For the first time, I have a room in the tower all to myself. Though, I kind of wish I wasn't alone. I don't like it. After I get a shower and explore the room, I walk across the hall and let myself into Daddy's room.

"How'd you get in here?" He asks.

I hold up a key to his room.

"How did you get that?"

"Nicked it from your back pocket." I say with a devious grin.

He checks his back pockets and sighs. "Nice job, sweetheart."

I smirk.

"So what did you want?"

"Nothing. I just figured I should let you know that I'm going down to the dinging hall. I'm gonna see if I can snag some left over munchies."

"You do that, he said dismissively." He slurs. (A/N: Yes, the 'he said dismissively' part is also part of what he said, lol)

"Yep, you're drunk." I hurry to the elevator and press the G button. The elevator stops on floors Three and One before reaching floor G. In steps Zayna, and then City. "Uh...hey." I say nervously.

City grunts.

Zayna on the other hand, smiles and says, "Hey, I'm Zayna Code from District Three. You are?"

"I knew that from the recap." I say.

She shrugs. "I didn't watch the recap. I was taking a nap."

"I'm Ever Abernathy. District Twelve."

Zayna gasps. "Oh! You're one of the twelve-year-olds this year. That must really suck."

"It does." We stand there in silence for a few moments before the elevator doors open. City pushes us aside and walks out of the Training Center. Talking a pleasure walk, that stuck-up jerk. He's so sure he's going to win that he's taking a little stroll instead of resting. Careers, I hate them all. Wait, if I REALLY do hate all Careers, then why am I now helping Zayna up? Why do I ask if she's okay?

"I'm fine, thanks." She replies, dusting off the same clothes I saw her wear during the Three reaping. The only thing different is the black hoodie she now wears.

"I assume you didn't come down here at night to take a stroll like Mr. City did."

Zayna shakes her head. "I came to get munchies."

I smile and say, "Me too!"

"Great! Come on." We walk into the dining hall. Some mentors, escorts and victor guests are still there eating. Zayna and I hurry to a table with plenty of food. "So what's your story, kid?" She asks.

I am prepared to shoot her a dirty look, but she didn't say it the way Robbie says it- with spite. She says it like a nickname. "What do you mean?"

She laughs. "Sorry. It's way of us Threes asking, how are you and prying into people personal business all at once!"

"Okay then. What's _your _story?"

Zayna swallows a mouthful of bread before answering. "Nothing important."

"How old are you, anyway?"

"Eighteen."

I don't say anything else because I don't know what to say. I'm not good with conversation.

"While we're here, why don't we get to know each other a bit? Like, friends?"

I choke on my salad. "Friends?"

"Sure, why not?" She holds out her hand for me to shake it.

"Friends it is." I say, giving her hand a quick, firm handshake.

"Isn't your father your mentor this year?" Asks Zayna, cutting straight to the business.

"Yeah. He's the only living victor from Twelve, so he has to be."

"That must be hard on him. I'd hate to have to mentor my kid."

I shrug, "I wouldn't know. I mean, he's so drunk all the time that he isn't acting any different." Which is mostly a lie, especially thinking back to the train.

Zayna sighs, "You have a dad at least."

"You don't?"

"He and my mom were both tributes when they were 18. Needless to say, they were both killed. My grandma died four years ago. Since then, I've been on my own."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. What's your mom like?"

"She was a tribute when she was 18, too. I was four months old."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know."

"It's alright." I say.

"Um, mind if I sit here?" Pipes up a new voice.

Both of us look up to see Asia Hedvigg, the girl from Nine. "Not at all." I say, giving her space.

"Thanks." She looks down an begins eating.

"I thought Zayna and I were the only two tributes eating this late."

Asia shakes her head. "Didn't eat earlier." The three of us remain silent before Asia speaks up again, "How rude, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Asia Hedvigg from District Nine. You are?"

"Zayna Code. Three. Don't call me a Career."

"Ever Abernathy from Twelve."

"Hm, I remember my mentor mentioning you and your father." Asia says, mostly thinking aloud, but that doesn't stop me from asking for her mentor's name. She gives it to me, "Raewyn Gizmo-Hemsworth."

"Name doesn't ring a bell. I'll ask my father tomorrow morning, if his hangover isn't too bad."

Zayna giggles, earning a weird look from Asia.

"Being drunk isn't funny." She says.

"Psh, my dad's a funny drunk. You should have seen him hug Twelve's escort at the reaping! It was _hilarious_!"

"I saw that!" Zayna exclaims, pointed her fork at me.

Asia cracks a smile, then sets free a giggle. "Me too! We were on our way to the Capitol when my mentor and i saw it. Raewyn was all like, 'Good old_drunk _Haymitch.' I just kept laughing."

"You just contradicted yourself." Zayna says, using her 18-year-old word to confuse us.

"Good thing I know what a contradiction is. You know, Ever?" Asia asks me.

"Uh huh." I say, taking another bite of warm bread.

After about half an hour of us making conversation, Zayna gets up, yawns and stretches. "Well, I'm gonna call it a night. I need to be rested for training tomorrow."

Asia yawns too. "Yeah, Raewyn is expecting me back...fifteen minutes ago. When you find out what she means to Haymitch, tell me."

"No problem. See you two tomorrow?"

"For sure!" Zayna exclaims with a sleepy look in her eyes.

"Totally." Asia says with a sweet smile.

I ride the elevator with them and we say our 'goodnight's,' first to Zayna, then to Asia, then I ride up to Twelve alone. Before going to my room, I knock on Daddy's door.

He cracks the door open, sees it's me and let's me in. "You've been gone an awful long time to just be munching."

"I made some friends, like you told me to. Allies, I think."

"Who?"

"Zayna Code an Asia Hedvigg. Three and Nine."

"Good."

"Oh and Asia said her mentor mentioned you...and me."

"Really? Who?"

"Yeah. She said her name is Raewyn Gizmo-Hemsworth." I wasn't prepared for what happens next. Instead of the expected, 'Oh! Raewyn, she's good company, that one,' or, 'Yes, I remember Raewyn. She's a fighter,' I get the sound of a bottle shattering and the feeling liquor splashing onto my jeans. Daddy's face seems drained of all color.

"R-Raewyn? District Nine? Raewyn Giz..." He trails off.

"...mo-Hemsworth." I finish.

"G-go to bed Ever. Goodnight, sweetie." He makes an attempt to hug me and kiss my forehead, but he's too shaken.

"What's some mentor from Nine got you so freaked out about?" I ask.

"Go to bed."

"No, tell me."

"Ever Elizabeth." He warns.

"Fine, fine. No need to break out the middle name." I say, walking out of the room.

"Goodnight, sweetheart."

* * *

_Haymitch..._

"I made some friends, like you told me to. Allies, I think." Ever says, leaning against the wall

"Who?" I ask.

"Zayna Code an Asia Hedvigg. Three and Nine."

_Nine... _"Good."

"Oh and Asia said her mentor mentioned you...and me."

"Really? Who?" I listen closely out of curiosity. Me, I can understand, what with me being drunk and embarrassing myself all the time...but Ever? I kept her as secret as I possibly could. Not every single victor could know about her...can they? I immediately regret asking.

"Yeah. She said her name is Raewyn Gizmo-Hemsworth."

"R-Raewyn? District Nine? Raewyn Giz..." _No way. Not the same Raewyn Gizmo that..._

"...mo-Hemsworth." Ever finishes

"G-go to bed Ever. Goodnight, sweetie." I try to give my daughter the normal hug and kiss goodnight, but can't.

"What's some mentor from Nine got you so freaked out about?" She asks.

_I don't want to talk about it. _"Go to bed."

"No, tell me." She insisted, place her hand on her hips

"Ever Elizabeth." I warn, using the middle name I picked out.

"Fine, fine. No need to break out the middle name." She says, walking out of the room.

I consider stopping her and telling her about Raewyn Gizmo, the victor of the 60th Hunger Games, and how Raewyn had allied with her mother from the start, and even avenged her death. But I don't. "Goodnight, sweetheart." I say, not knowing what else to do.

"Whatever." She says, walking across the hall to her room.

(A/N: Ever's mom looks like Rachel Bilson from the OC.)

_Flashback..._

_I carefully examined the tributes from Twelve. The boy was Maxwell Tylers. 15, but he could easily pass for 20. Maxwell came from a decent family, his parents were tailors, so he always had food, which is why he was so strong. Honestly, I wouldn't want to fight him. Nobody but the Career tributes would have a chance._

_Sitting next to Maxwell, was the tribute who I wanted to win. Brown hair, brown-eyed Rose didn't even touch the food on the tribute train, and she only had a few bites at the training center. Couldn't blame her, really. She just sat there, playing with the ring on her left hand. She didn't look up the whole time. I hated seeing her so upset, she was normally always smiling. Eventually, Maxwell and the Twelve escort went upstairs to sleep._

_"Haymitch?" Rose's voice was barely a whisper._

_"Yes?"_

_She didn't say anything, she just kept playing with the ring._

_"You want to hold her?" I asked, offering her Ever._

_She half-smiled and took the baby. "Why did I do it?"_

_"Do what?"_

_"Volunteer."_

_"To stop Sage from going."_

_"Yeah, but for what? Have you seen the size of the Careers this year?"_

_I bit my lip. She had a point._

_"Your silence hurts."_

_"I'm sorry." I hugged her and didn't let go._

_"It's alright, I guess." She leaned into my chest and even smiled._

_"Are you going to eat that?" Asked a new voice._

_I looked up to see a girl, about 16 with long, straight blonde hair and blue-grey eyes. She was pointing to Rose's soup, which was probably cold at that point._

_"No. You go ahead." Rose told her._

_"Thanks." Said the girl. She picked up the bowl, then set it down. "Are you okay?" She asked us._

_"Oh!" Rose realized we were still hugging each other. "Yeah."_

_"Me thinks the lady doth tell lies."_

_Rose smiles but still insisted she was fine._

_"Then why are you-" She pointed at Rose with a spoon "-cuddling him-" She then had the spoon pointing at me "-like there's no tomorrow?"_

_"Are all you District Nine kids so...so..."_

_"So what? Annoying? Prying? Curious? Sexy?"_

_"Well-"_

_"Nah, pretty sure it's just me; I wouldn't call it prying; curiousity is natural; and damn straight! about the sexiness."_

_I couldn't believe it, but Rose actually laughed, quite loudly. Ever began to move around in her arms and started to fuss._

_"Oh! I know who you guys are, you're from Twelve. One of my mentors mentioned something about how the mentor and the girl tribute have a baby."_

_To be honest, the blonde was really annoying me. I hate blondes. Rose on the other hand, seemed to enjoy her company._

_"Hm, well we seem to be the quite the gossip topic, don't we?"_

_The blonde smiled, "I guess so. I'm Raewyn by the way."_

_"Rose. The idiot I was cuddling earlier is Haymitch."_

_"Hey!"_

_"Oh, shut up- and this one's Ever."_

_Raewyn smiled, "She's adorable...can I hold her?"_

_"Sure. You know to support the head, right?"_

_"I'm the oldest out of nine." Raewyn answered, taking the four-month-old._

_"Oh, that's right. You volunteered for your sister."_

_"Uh huh. I don't stand a chance in the arena, but better me than her."_

_"You don't know that for sure."_

_Raewyn shrugged, "I dunno. If I'm lucky enough to get away from the Cornucopia in time and someone knocks of all the careers, then yeah, I stand a chance. Except for the fact that blood terrifies me. Doesn't help that my parents are some of the only medical professionals in Nine."_

_Ever made a tiny noise._

_"See, _she _agrees with me!"_

_Rose laughed again. "You know kid, you're okay."_

_Raewyn smiled. "You're not half-bad yourself."_

_"Raewyn, come on! We have to go!" Called the boy from Nine._

_"Don't get your panties in a bunch!" She snapped back._

_"Raewyn, now!" Said her mentor, a man in his thirties who looked like he could snap a tree._

_"I'll see you in training tomorrow. By the way...you're boyfriend is absolutely _gorgeous._" Her smile was both a kind one and one used when teasing._

_"Hands _off_." Rose smirked._

_"Well see about that." teased Raewyn, walking away._

_"I like her, do I have to kill her?"_

_I held her hand. "I don't know, sweetheart. I really don't."_

*flashback end*

_Next morning..._

"You remember telling us to make allies, right?" Ever asks me.

"Yes, I remember."

"Good, then you remember me telling you who mine are, right?"

"Uh huh."

"Oh, so you _weren't _totally trashed. That's unusual."

"Oh, shut up and eat." I turn to the boy, "Robert, did you make any allies."

"A few." He says nonchalantly.

"Knowing Robbie, he probably hooked up with some hot girl." Ever says.

"Ever Eliz-"

"Actually, she's right...but that's not _all _I did Abernathy."

"_Hester_!" She says his last name like a curse.

"Hey, Robbie." Says the girl from Two. Amity Taryn, I think is her name.

"Amity."

"So, last night got me thinking-"

"Ew gross! Virgin ears!" Ever says, pressing her hands against her ears, as if crushing her skull.

"What's she talking about?" Amity asks.

Robbie shoots Ever a look.

_Clearly he didn't sleep with Amity Taryn last night._

"Nothing, Amity. She just thinks that 'last night' always has something to do with sex."

"Gross...but anyway, last night got me thinking. I've decided that I am going to ditch the Career pack and make my own. Your in it. I want you to be my main ally."

"What's the catch? Human shield maybe?"

Amity shakes her head. "No, no, no, nothing like that. There _might _however...be an incentive. If you know what I mean."

_Since when did teenagers become such sluts? _I think.

Robbie acts like he is too cool to care.

_Robbie, if _I_ were your age and had girls throwing themselves at me, I wouldn't be so nonchalant...wait, i DID have girls throwing themselves at me when I was your age, and before... never mind then._

Amity wanders away.

I scope the dining hall for the girl tributes, to see if any of them are paying extra attention to Robbie. Nirvana Jessup from Five and Tigerlily Corbin from Six both are.

Ever realizes this too.

Robbie sees that we are both catching on.

Effie is as clueless as usual.

"Which one was it? Five or Six?" Ever asks.

Robbie smirks. "Both."

_That's it... _"Alliances aren't made just because you-" I cover Ever's ears "-charm the pants off a few girls!" Ever's giggle tells me she heard what I said anyway. "I'm pretty sure that if Tigerlily or Nirvana face you in the arena, they _won't_ spare you just because you had a little one-night stand with them. Especially if they find out about the other. That will just make them want to kill you more."

"I can take them."

He's really pissing me off. "It isn't all about sex, it's about survival! You don't sleep with every pretty girl you see! isn't it, I dunno, kind of illegal for you to do that with most of these girls anyway?"

Robbie smirks. I know what he is going to say. _Robbert Hester, don't say it, don't say it... _"That didn't seem to stop you and your baby mama, Mr. Get a Tribute Pregnant." _He said it!_

"First, she was 18. Perfectly legal. Second, she wasn't pregnant when she was a tribute. Third, she wasn't just a baby mama- yes, I know what that means. Lastly, that was low."

Robbie smirks, "But it's the truth, isn't it? Abernerdy's mom was a tribute."

"Yes, but that proves nothing." _Abernerdy? Did I hear right? Focus Haymitch, focus!_

"I think I'm gonna puke. I can't believe you two just had a full conversation about sex! I'm eating, here!" Ever says, pointing to her plate.

"Robbie started it."

"Can I eat with Zayna and Asia? Get to know them better? Get advice? try to eat without wanting to puke?"

"Sure, sure."

"Well, I'm off." Robbie says, standing up.

"See ya." I say, truly not caring.

Tanith leaves too.

"Good. More time for me to not have to deal with people as annoying as you." Childish, yes. But I think I've earned the right to say something childish today.

I look over to where ever and the girls from Three and Nine are. Asia throws a pinch of food at Zayna because of something she said. Ever nearly falls out of her seat. Zayna smiles and kicks Asia's seat under the table. The three of them put the little altercation behind them and continue eating. Talking, laughing and goofing off the whole time.

_Poor kid. She really _does _like those girls from Three and Nine. I wish someone had volunteered for her. She can't do this. _The anger and annoyance I felt toward Robbie is gone. I feel my heart sink to the floor when I realize what my daughter's fate will be. No matter what I do to help her survive in the arena, nothing will make her be able to kill anybody. Whether it is an enemy like Trendy Twilight from One or a friend like Zayna or Asia, she will not be able to do it.

Screw the Capitol. It isn't fair! These Games aren't fair! What do they do except force children to fight and kill- to become monsters? The Capitol calls forcing parents watch their children die a _game_? _Hide-and-seek_, is a game, _tag_, is a game, cutting open the throat of a twelve year old girl _isn't_. The Capitol tells us people in the Districts that they care, but they don't act like it. Parading the victors across Panem- forcing the parents of murdered children to admire their child's killer; the families who lost children should be excused from all of that. Tearing families apart. That's all this 'game' does. Nothing more.

Whoever kills my baby in that arena better hope that I am completely wasted when the Victors Tour brings them to Twelve. I will personally kill them myself no matter who it is. Weather it is Trendy or Asia or that other twelve year old from Five. I will be likely be killed for killing them, but I don't care. Her killer will die.

I take another sip from the bottle of liquor I opened earlier this morning.

"Still drinking, I see." Says a voice I don't recognize.

A woman in her early- to mid- thirties sits down across from me. There's something familiar about her. The long blonde hair, though clearly her natural color, is obviously highlighted in a different shade of blonde to hide the grey. Her smile is friendly and mocking at the same time.

I remember her hazel eyes from twelve years ago and nearly choke on the liquor. "Raewyn! Raewyn Gizmo?"

"Actually, it's Gizmo-Hemsworth now." She shows me the ring. "Don't know my I hyphenated it. My maiden name is horrid."

I stifle a laugh.

"It's been a while Haymitch."

"Twelve years, I know." It's great to see Raewyn again, really it is, but twelve years is a long time. Plus, considering I met her during some of the darkest times in my life, the reunion isn't exactly a happy one.

"How's life? You seem to drink more than usual."

"It's life." I say. "How did _you_ turn out?"

"Pretty great, I'll say."

"You and your husband decide to have any kids at all?"

She smiles widely. "We have seven. Well, four are ours biologically. Two are sort of adopted and one is from one of Will's ex-girlfriends. Your daughter is twelve now, right?"

"Twelve, yeah. How old are yours?"

"Zaylie is 16, she's Will's first child. I love her to death, though. Taivas is 14- six when he joined our family- his biological parents couldn't afford to care for him and his little brother. The parents died a few days after we took them in. Heath is Taivas's younger brother. Heath is 12. Wyatt is our first. He's ten. Waverly is Wyatt's twin sister, also ten. Starlyn is seven. Our youngest, Zahra-Rose is 2 and a half."

_She named her youngest after her..._"Seven? Wow. I'd love to have seven, but...with the way the Capitol is, and the Games..."

Raewyn sighs. "That's the thing. Because my husband has Capitol citizenship, our children are exempt from the laws in the Districts."

"Meaning?"

"There is no Reaping for them."

"Lucky kids! I hope they appreciate it."

"Oh they do." Raewyn assures me. "In fact, Zaylie's boyfriend died as a tribute last year. They know how lucky they are. Speaking of kids,h ow is your little girl anyway?"

"Ask her yourself." I nod my head toward the table where the girls are at.

Raewyn gasps. "_That's_ your daughter? She looks almost identical to-"

"I know. Her uncles say that all the time."

"You get sick of hearing it, I understand. I hear she travels here with you every year. Is that why she is here?"

"I wish."

Raewyn looks as if she wants to cry. "You don't mean-"

"Yes. Ever is a tribute."

"But she's so young! She's...she's...and nobody volunteered?"

"Not one person even flinched when Tanith Rudo asked."

"Oh Haymitch, I am terribly sorry. First Rose, now your daughter, too."

I take another sip from the bottle.

"Can I have some?" She asks quickly.

"_You _drink?"

"Yes."

"You, Saint Raewyn _drink_?"

"Yes." She says, taking a big sip.

"Wow."

"You know, after twelve years of attending the Games, you'd think we'd have run into each other before now."

"You'd think." I agree.

"I'll help you."

"What?" I ask, puzzled.

"I'll help you keep the girl alive."

"But Raewyn-"

She puts her hand over my mouth, leans forward and removes it. "Listen. Nine always has more than enough sponsors and way more money to use on tributes than we need. My husband is from the Capitol. I can get him to use some of the extra money for Ever. The fact that she is allies with Asia makes this easier."

"Raewyn, I love Ever more than anything but even so, I can't- wait a second. Did you just say that your husband is from the _Capitol_?"

"Haymitch-" Raewyn begins.

"The _Capitol_?"

"It's not like that. William isn't like the others...he's the son of a woman from Four and a man from Seven. They were brought to the Capitol when they were about ten. Excellent designers. They were both stylists from the 40th through 69th Games. He thinks these Games are cruel and unfair as you and I do. That's the only reason I even gave him a second look."

"Oh, well then that's okay...but the _Capitol_?"

Raewyn rolls her eyes. "My goodness Haymitch." She shrugs. "No matter. I will help keep Ever alive best I can." She takes several large sips from the bottle. Hm, I wonder if she's as good a drinking buddy as Chaff.

"Thank you." I say.

"It's no problem. I owe it to R- to you."

I raise my eyebrows. "Were you about to say someone else's name?"

"N- yes."

"It's alright." I tell her.

"I owe it to both you _and _Rose. I only knew her for a short time, but she was my friend. I can't sit back and let her daughter die."

"Thank you...for this, and for- this is going to sound so hypocritical, but-"

"Thanks for taking out Maxwell Tylers?"

"Yeah."

"I was just teaching him a lesson." She stands up. "Before I drink the whole bottle and get totally wasted, I should take my tributes to training. See you around."

"Daddy, who's this? Didn't you just give Robbie a big speech about how the Games are about survival, not sex?"

Raewyn bursts into hysterical laughter.

My face is red. "It's not like that Ev. She's just an old friend."

"That's what they _all _say." Robbie says, appearing from out of nowhere.

"No, really! It's not like that. She's married!"

"Kinky." says Robbie. _I'm going to kill that boy._

"Even worse!" giggles Ever.

Raewyn choses now to step in. "He isn't lying. We're just friends. Nothing _kinky _about it." She glares daggers at Robbie and i can't help but to smile.

"Who was that?" Asks ever as Raewyn walks away.

"That was Raewyn Gizmo-Hemsworth."

She gasps, "The person I asked you about last night! How do you know her? What's the story?"

"An old friend."

"Come on-"

"Drop it."

"But-"

"Drop. It." I order.

"Yes Daddy." She says sadly.

I'll tell her eventually...maybe.


	4. The Gymnasium

******Fiction Association of Earth Waring:** This story is rated-T for; violence, suggestive comments, teenage ranting, Haymitch's drinking, Chaff's drinking, Raewyn's drinking, _more_ of Haymitch's drinking, Haymitch's hangovers, Ever's swearing, _more_ suggestive comments, Haymitch's drink cravings, Ever's drunk jokes, possible that's-what-she said jokes, Haymitch's swearing, Robbie's smart-assness, boy-ish behavior, kissing- _**GROSS**_!, sad moments, angst, the word "pissed", Haymitch's threats, _more _suggestive comments, MORE violence, Haymitch's drunken antics, and teenage behavior

_Wow. Haymitch is mentioned SEVEN times in that warning. Shame on him!_

* * *

**The Gymnasium**

* * *

_Ever..._

The next day, training begins. Robbie and I get up early in the morning to eat. Tanith is already waiting for us in the dining hall, as are our stylists.

"Hey, Cinna." I say, taking a seat between him and an empty one.

"Good morning, Ever." He says, taking a sip from his coffee mug.

I crinkle my nose when I get a whiff of it.

"What?" he asks.

I point to the coffee.

"What, this?" Cinna smirks.

I nod.

"Oh come one, coffee is amazing. Smell it! Love it! _Live _it!" Cinna moves to cup closer to my nose with each syllable.

"Behave or I'll steal all your sewing stuff."

He pretends to be shocked and frightened, but stops teasing me.

"You know, for a guy who wears eyeliner and designs clothes, you're okay." I say.

"What's wrong with eyeliner?"

"Um...I wear it." I say, pointing to my eyes.

Cinna examines my eyes. "You have gorgeous brown eyes, and the black eyeliner you use looks great, but try a nice shade of purple. It will look even better."

I ponder this for a moment. "I like purple, you know where I can get some?"

"I'll buy some for you today and give it to you at dinner."

"How much will it be? I'll pay you back."

"No need." insists Cinna.

"If you say so...EEK!"

"Relax! It's just me!"

"Daddy?" I look up at him. He looks...different. He looks like he's been through the shower six times over, and he's wearing something other than a pair of jeans and a shirt that was considered 'dirty' two days ago. Even more surprising...he is sober. Like, not even half-hungover-only-had-one-glass sober. I mean like legit, didn't-drink-yet-today sober.

"Oh, shut up." He says, scowling.

"Sure. Just one question."

"Hm?"

"Who are you and what have you done with my- oh my gosh, somebody smells _ah_-mazing!" My body turns in the direction the scent is coming from. Before I know it, I am walking toward a table near ours.

"Ever!" Daddy hisses. "Ever Elizabeth!"

I ignore him. "Must. Find. The. Source." At last, I find it. Two teenage boys, both at least 16, were sitting at the table nearest ours. "Um, hi." I say to them.

They look around weirdly. The younger one smiles and says, "Hello."

"This is going to sound so creepy and stalker-ish, but you two smell absolutely _ah_-mazing!"

They look at each other, then at me, then back to each other and laugh hysterically. "You're the fourth girl that has told us that this morning, isn't she, Zephyr?"

The older one nods. "Yep. Colton, who were the others?"

The younger, Colton, counts off on his fingers. "First is was Tigerlily from Six, that ugly chick from Eight and the blonde from Ten."

"Oh come on, the girl from Eight wasn't that bad. I think she's kind of cute."

"Whatever. Point is, it's not creepy anymore."

"Oh, okay. sorry about that." I say, turning to leave.

"Wait a second, kid." Colton says.

I scowl before turning around.

"You know our names. What is your name?"

"Ever Abernathy. Gosh, I'm really getting sick of introducing myself all the time." I say, shaking Colton, then Zephyr's hand.

They laugh. "You know kid? You're okay." says Colton.

"I'm also really tired of people saying that." I fold my arms across my chest.

"Sorry 'bout that. You just look really young." Colton apologizes. "How old are you anyway?"

"Twelve."

Zephyr chokes on his coffee. Colton pats him on the back. "*cough* *cough* You're t *cough* welve?"

"Yeah..." I say slowly.

Colton's face is pale.

"What's wrong with him?" I ask Zephyr.

"He has a sister named Silk. She's twelve...like you."

"Colton?" I ask, concerned.

"I'm fine." He says, too quickly.

I look at both boys and bite my lips, trying to remember which district reapings they are from. "You're from Three and Nine...am I right?"

They nod.

"So you know Asia Hedvigg?" I ask Colton.

"Yep. Her sister and some old lady are our mentors."

"Oh c'mon, the lady ain't that old." Zephyr laughs.

"She's thirty-something, that's old to me." shrugs Colton.

I turn to Zephyr, "So I'm guessing you know Zayna Code?" I notice Zephyr blushing when he answered with a soft, 'Yes.' "I'd say you more than know her."

"Really, we're just...just district partners, friends, yenno?"

Colton and I are both shaking our heads in disapproval. "The boy won't admit it." I say to Colton.

"I think you should just go and tell Zayna already." Colton tells him.

"Tell Zayna what?" Asia asks from out of nowhere.

"Yeah, what do we need to tell Zayna, Zeph?" Zayna flashes him a big grin.

Zephyr struggles to utter, "Uh..."

"That he snuk into your room last night and touched your bra." Colton lies.

She gasps, then slaps him as hard as she can. "You _pervert_!"

"Zayna, wait!"

"What!" She snaps.

"I didn't-" He was originally going to say he didn't sneak in, but changes his story. "I snuk in to steal a few bucks. I was hungry and wanted something from the snack machine. I didn't mean to touch your bra."

Zayna's glare softens. "Oh, if that's all." She says, kissing his cheek on the spot that she slapped him. "Sorry about hitting you. OH!"

Zephyr falls out of his seat.

"What just happened?" Asia asks.

Colton looks at Zephyr lying on the ground. "Well...I believe Miss Zayna kissed him, and them he fainted!"

"But why?" Zayna asks.

"Zeph and Zayna sittin' in a tree..." I tease, walking away.

Zayna gasps, "No way! Zeph likes me? Like, like likes me?"

"In fact he does." Says Colton

Asia giggles like an idiot and soon, I am too.

"Ahem." Robbie says, walking up behind me. "Tanith says it's time for training."

"Oh okay. See you guys around."

"See ya!" Asia, Zayna and Colton say. Zephyr is still unconscious from fainting.

* * *

_Haymitch..._

I walk Robbie and Ever to the gymnasium, "Listen, for your first day of training, I want you two to act like you don't want to train...at all. Instead, scope out the others, learn what you can about them."

"But-" Ever begins.

I clasp my hand over her mouth. "No buts. All of the tributes are going to fight to kill. You need to know how the enemy operates that way you can take them down, or at least evade them."

"What's the point? They'll kill me anyway." Ever says.

That is when I lose it. I grab her arm and hold her there so she can't move and glare at her. "Ever Elizabeth Abernathy, _never _say that again!" I yell.

Her eyes are wide. I never yell at her.

"Understand?"

"Y-yes." She stutters.

I almost slap Robbie when I see him smirk.

Ever trails behind me and doesn't say another word before going into the gymnasium. I go back to the dining hall and start on another bottle of something that tasted horrible, but satisfied.

Most people won't believe it, but Ever is a pretty good fighter. She is nowhere near career level, and okay, maybe even the kids from the other poor districts could kick her butt; but she _can _put up a fight. She is good at physical fighting, which of course, will only get her so far, but if her alliance with Zayna and Asia works out like it should, then she should at _least _make it to the fifth or sixth day of the Games. She can throw a knife in almost a perfectly straig, I learned that on the tribute train. Not too sure if she can throw a knife hard, but she can throw it straight. She goes hunting with Kenton sometimes. Not a perfect shot, but at least she can shoot. If she can find a blunt object, that would be good, carry her to the top eight, maybe...

* * *

_Ever..._

Atala gives her speech to the tributes before we start training. Robbie stays put, but I stand and and look for a station to start at.

"Haymitch told us to stay put." Robbie says.

"I don't care."

"Aren't you daddy's little princess? Always does what daddy says, Abernerdy?"

"Stop calling me that."

"Why, Abernerdy?"

I glare at him and shout, "Because it's mean!"

"I know it is. Why else would i call you that, Abernerdy? To earn your favor?"

"SHUT UP!" I shout, punching him where the sun don't shine.

He falls to the ground, writhing in pain. "Ow." he squeaks.

A few tributes see our little spat, including the careers. I doubt it impresses them though, seeing at District 2's very own Slate Fallon is sharpening a scythe. I shiver, just thinking about what he will do with a scythe in the arena. I go over to the edible plants section. Not because I need help with plants- I know what is edible and what isn't- but because it is in the middle of the gymnasium. I now have a perfect view of all the tributes.

The first two people I see are Amity Taryn of Two and Hollie Stern from Seven. They are practicing next to one another, Hollie wielding two axes, Amity swinging a flail around and beating dummies with clubs. "Good job!" I hear Amity say to Hollie. "Thanks!" Hollie replies. _Amity and Robbie are in an alliance...I guess she's trying to recruit Hollie too._

Trendy Twilight from One has a sword in her hands. The sword requires two hands to use and looks absolutely deadly. Her district partner, City Ballantine is throwing a series of complicatedly designed knives at a set of dummies. His throw is even straighter than mine. I get a really good look at the knives. It is very sharp and seeing as City is wearing gloves to throw them, they can makes you bleed if your finger touches them just right. Some of them have blades that are serrated all the way up. I'm not sure if those are good for throwing or not, but those will cause damage if he stabs somebody with them.

I see Zayna and Asia shooting bows and arrows at targets. Zayna uses a hunter's bow, and Asia's bow is much smaller, but effective.

I expect to see Zephyr slicing things with knives or axes or something, but he is over at the fire building station. He keeps changing station, completing the ones he visits quickly. He goes to the most useful ones, knot tying, fishing hooks, hunting- even edible plants, where I am. He looks at me and doesn't speak. I smile because I know he knows what I am doing.

Colton is not throwing weapons either. However, Zephyr quickly joins him at the wrestling station and they have several practice fights.

Josiah Keller from 4 is rather scary. He has a trident and is taking dummies out so quickly that the instructors have to keep replenishing them. I wonder how he learned to use a trident so well. Then I remember. His mentor is probably Finnick Odair. He won seven years ago, I think...maybe eight.

Taya Scout, Josiah's district partner, is examining the types of swords the gamemakers have supplied in the gymnasium. Her fingers gently move across the blades, feeling for detail and sharpness and potential to be lethal. She practices stabbing the air with them before putting them back in the sheaths. She doesn't stab a dummy at all.

I bite my lip when I see my fellow twelve year old, Neeko Quinley, District Five. He is kind of just sitting there at the fire building station. Despite the instructor's help, he can't seem to lit a fire. I think about helping him, but decide I don't need to get attached to anymore tributes- four is already too much, Daddy said. Maybe if he is still struggling tomorrow I'll give him pointers. or maybe going over and lighting a perfect fire will give him the determination he needs...whatever.

Nirvana Jessup, the girl from Five, isn't struggling nearly as much. She is successfully making fishing hooks out of nearly anything to instructor hands her. This surprises me, since Four- not Five's- industry is fishing. After excusing herself from fishing hooks, she goes to the weapons section. She carefully looks at all the knives. She tries out several types of throwing knives, but decides on a set of combat knvies instead.

Jackson Opal and Tigerlily Corbin of Six are both very good fighters- hand-to-hand fighters, like me- and extremely fast. Tigerlily isn't half bad at throwing spears, either.

Mike Mulligan from Seven is pretty good with kunai and shuriken, the weapons that the Capitol kids see in anime and manga.

Carmen Silver from Eight was throwing spears and kunai for a while, but moved on and is now at the survival stations. Fire building- where Neeko still is- then edible plants, where I am. Our eyes meet and she smiles halfheartedly. Nolan Wilton is kind of just sitting there at knot tying.

Nick Dawn from Ten is doing the same as I am, scoping out the room. Watch out for him.

Nevaeh Tierney, Nick's district partner is throwing a boomerang around. Useful, I guess. Maybe is she partners up with Nick, clearly a better strategist than I am, she'll get far.

Elina Herb, the girl from Eleven who scared me on Reaping Day, is handling spears. Not throwing them...yet...but just handling them. Checking out their weight and gently tapping the spearheads. I make a mental note to be wary of her. Either she is pretending to have skill, or she is really good and is hiding it so she can kill her enemies when they are off guard.

Knox Trader, her district partner, is less impressive. He throws a few knives at dummies, but misses 70% of the time and only hits "vital" sports about 10% of the time, hitting the arms and legs of the dummies the other 20%.

Then of course there is me and Robbie. I go through my observations once more.

"Um, excuse me, sir?" I ask the edible plants instructor.

"What is it, Twelve?" They usually call us by out districts.

"May I have a piece of paper and something to write with?" I ask.

He hands it to me.

"Thank you." I quickly jot down my observations, and even map out possible alliances.

_(Possible) Alliances and Loners:_

_Ever-Zayna-Asia_

_Colton-Zephyr_

_Robbie-Amity-Hollie?_

_Nirvana?-Slate-Josiah-Taya-City-Trendy [all of the Career's, save Amity. Nirvana, possibly Amity's replacement]_

_Neeko- loner_

_Nolan- loner_

_Jackon-Tigerlily-Mike?_

_Nevaeh- loner or possibly Nick_

_Elina- loner_

_Knox- loner_

_Carmen- loner, seems open. Possibly Mike._

I look at my list, then at all the other tributes once more. I think I nailed it. The bell rings for lunch.

We all hurry to the dining hall to eat. I am still made at Daddy and completely ignore him, opting to sit with Asia, Zayna, Raewyn- Asia's mentor- and Colton instead. I pass Asia my observation paper first. "Oh my gosh! You figured all this out just from sitting there?"

Raewyn tries to peek over Asia shoulder, but shrugs when she can't quite read it. I expect her to ask to see it, but she doesn't. I think aobut asking her how she knows my father, but decide not to.

"You weren't training today." Zephyr notes, sitting down between Zayna and Colton. Zayna blushes.

"I was gathering information for this." I say, flicking the paper toward him.

He takes it. "You made this by yourself?" He asks, making a mark on the paper.

"Uh huh." I say as he slides it back to me. "Huh?"

"You like the idea?"

_Ever-Zayna-Asia_

_Colton-Zephyr_

Were now surrounded by a rectangle drawn by Zephyr.

"You mean-?"

"Yep. Combining the alliances."

"But isn't five people kind of counter-productive?"

"Not if you do it right." he shakes his head.

"Well, okay then. If everone else agrees..."

"What do the three of you think about the five of us combining alliances?"

Zayna, Asia and Colton quickly agree.

"Wait a minute." Raewyn speaks up.

We stop and listen.

"Good idea, the five of you should do it...but you need to start making it less obvious. Right now, the other nineteen tributes can tell that the five of you are buddy-buddy with each other. That is fine. Expect for the fact that they already expect you five to team up in the arena. You need to start becoming un-friends...if that makes sense."

"How do you do that, Raewyn?" Asia asks.

"Simple. You don't have to cut off contact completely, you just have to fake some tension...like after lunch, maybe two of you can fight over a bow and arrow set and keep randomly shooting the other dirty looks until training is done for the day. Make rude comments about each other's fire building skills, edible plants knowledge and fishing hook making. Even if they look decent, find something wrong with them. If one of you wants to help another person in the alliance learn how to do something- like build a fire- show them how to do it, but quickly so it looks like you really don't care...little things like that will convince people that the friendship is eroding. In the arena, you won't have to pretend."

"Whoa." I say.

"Awesome!" the boys say in unision.

"You're smart." Zayna says. "Like, really uber-smart."

Raewyn smiles and brushes the hair out of her face. "Thank you...believe me, it took thirty years to get that way."

"No hope of it happening quicker?"

"Sorry."

"Dang it." Zayna says, pretending to be sad.

Raewyn continues on the main topic. "You five understand?"

"Totally." we say.

"Did you make all that up?" Asia asks.

Raewyn shakes her head. "No. I had an alliance myself. Two alliances actually. One at the start of the Games with the girl from Twelve, the boy from Three and the girl from Seven. On the second day it was just me and the girl from Seven, so we teamed up with the boy from One...nicest career ever, let me tell you. Then it was just me."

I look at her eyes. They are sad. She, like me, truly cared for her allies. _Girl from Twelve...could she mean-? No, she can't mean- _"What Games were you in?"

Raewyn looks alarmed. "Oh, you were probably too little to remember them. How old are you?" She obviously was told by my father to _not _tell me.

"12...like I was an hour ago." I say slowly.

"12! Yeah, you were way too small to remember."

I have the next thing I am going to say on the tip of my tongue, but I feel a hand on my shoulder and smell the- no, no liquor this time. Wow, this is the longest he's been sober. While in the Capitol, at least. At home, he went through weeks- once three months- of sobriety because I'd made him. Anyway:

"How are we, sweetheart?" he asks me, focusing mostly on me, be giving Raewyn a few quick glances as well.

Weird. "Fine." I say.

"What's fine?"

"Fine."

"Still pissed from earlier?" he asks

"Obviously."

"Well, get over it."

I search his face for a smile, but can't find one. His don't-care attitude toward the Games now includes me. "You."

"I know you're 12, but stop acting like you're five. Nice to see you again, Raewyn."

"You too, Haymitch. You seem...unusually sober." She teases.

"Oh, shut up." he says.

The bell to finish training rings.

* * *

_Haymitch..._

After lunch I go to the roof.

"You want to know what's going on with the five of them, right?" Raewyn asks, standing next to me, looking over the roof.

"I'm curious, I'll admit."

"An alliance." she says, a grim expression on her face.

"Five people? Isn't that-"

"Counter-productive? Same question your daughter asked. Not if you do it right...same reply the boy from Three told her."

"But do you believe it?"

She stares at the clouds for a moment before saying, "It's a nice day, isn't it."

"You didn't answer my question."

She looks straight ahead. "You look like you really need a drink."

"You're avoiding the question."

"Yes, I think it will work. At least three of them will make it to the top eight. But..." she trails off

"Raewyn." I say, dead serious.

"Hm?"

"Spit it out."

She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath before she says, "At least three will make it to the top eight. All five will survive the bloodbath. But when it comes down to the last few kids, they are going to eliminate who they perceive is the weakest, **_first_**. Unless Ever can prove heself by...by killing someone in the arena...she's the target."

I swallow. I know she is right.

"Haymitch?"

"What?"

"I'm sorry."

"You know it too, huh?"

"Know what?"

"That the odds are completely against her."

She nods. "Everyone knows it."

"I need a drink."

"It's on me." she says.

_Maybe she's not half bad after all._

* * *

_Ever..._

After lunch, we go back into training. Asia and I get in that fight over a bow-and-arrow. I accidentally give her a black eye in the process. I begin to apologize, but she stops me. "Fine! Don't worry, you can have it!" A statement of forgiveness is hidden there.

Throughout the rest of training, Asia and I keep glaring at each other. She "accidentally" bumps into me and we start a fist fight, only to be stopped by an instructor.

"_This _is how you make a fishing hook Twelve." Zephyr says from out of nowhere, quickly fashioning one out of the thorns the instructor laid out.

I look down at my hook, a tiny little thing made from wire. Not bad, but not as resourceful as a thorn. Nevaeh and Slate are looking at my fishing hook, too, smirking.

Three hours later we are told training is over.

I reluctantly sit with Tanith, Robbie Portia and my father. I am happy to see Cinna, though. He hands me the purple eyeliner. "Thanks Cinna!" I say, truly meaning it.

"No problem.

_Three days later..._

My father and I still hadn't made up after our fight.

Cinna senses this and takes the empty seat beside me at breakfast when he notices Daddy isn't here yet. "Are you excited about private training?" he asks me.

"Like anxious excited or I-can't-wait excited?"

"Both."

"Anxious excited, for sure. I'm going to do terribly."

Cinna shakes his head. "I've heard mentors talking about what their tributes have said. They say you and those girls from Nine and Three are good with the bow-and-arrow and that your survival skills are superb."

I smile meekly, "Well, I wouldn't go that far..."

"Let's hope they're right." Daddy says, sitting across from Cinna. "Good morning, Tanith." he adds sinisterly.

"Good morning, Haymitch." she says through gritted teeth.

"Meow! Here come the claws." Robbie says, putting his hood up.

Portia yanks it down. "Keep it down." she commands.

"Why?"

"Just do it." she says, exasperated.

"Whatever. You're worse than Haymitch."

Daddy gives him a sharp, upward smack to the back of the head. (A/N: Think Gibbs slap!)

"What the hell was that for!"

"Being a dumbass." he replies.

I prepare to giggle, but realize I am still mad at him so I don't. He does see me hiding my smile.

An emotion creeps into his cold grey eyes. Pain? Fear? Sorrow? No, all three.

I pretend not to notice and turn to Cinna, "I wonder is Ceaser is going to look as ridiculous as always tomorrow."

Cinna smiles. "I can't _wait _to see what he looks like tomorrow. He _does _look rather stupid, doesn't he?"

I nod, even Robbie smiles. "If I can get through the interview without making a rude comment about him, it'll be a miracle."

Tanith lets out a sound of disgust. "That's why I'm here...to make sure you don't get yourself killed before you get into the arena. It's this stupid _drunk_'s to keep you alive _in _the arena."

"I haven't had a drink in..." he counts on his fingers, "..._three_-! no, four-! days, thank you very much."

"Nuh uh! I saw you having a glass of something with the mentor from Nine!" Robbie argued.

Daddy glares at him. "Robert!" he hisses.

Tanith gives him the biggest look of disgust that has _ever_ been made. "Isn't she _married_? Haymitch, that is low. Even for your standards."

"Don't make me kill you."

"But she's _married_!"

"Kin-" Robbie starts, but Daddy clasps his hand over his mouth.

"If you say that word _one _more time, so help- Ew! He licked me!"

I giggle and so does Cinna. Portia just rolls her eyes.

Tanith is still shaking her head.

"Okay, look. 1. Raewyn and I are just old friends.) 2. It was _one _drink...okay maybe two..._five_ alright! 3.) Chaff was with us, he just wasn't there at the exact moment. If I planned on- Cinna, cover her ears-" apparently, Cinna is a better ear-coverer than my father because I hear nothing for about nine seconds.

Cinna's mouth makes a perfect 'O' and his eyes are as big as baseballs. I have to pry his hands off my ears.

Portia has a perfectly manicured hand covering her mouth.

Robbie is laughing hysterically.

Tanith on the other hand, is shaking her head, muttering obscenities at Daddy.

"When the last time you had sex anyway?" Robbie asks, smirking.

"_That _is confidential."

"So you _did _sleep with her last night?"

"No! We're just friends."

"Then-"

"Twelve years ago, okay? Now shut the hell up before I shove my foot so far up your ass it comes out your mouth, you monkey loving ball eater!"

"Haymitch!" scolds Tanith.

"Tanith!" he retorts.

"Of my gosh did you just say balls!"

"Twelve years? That's like, as old as Ever! Man, you-"

"Unlike you, I don't have one-night stands and I don't try to fumble my way into every pretty girl's pants!"

"Gross!" I exclaim

"Cinna I told you you cover her ears!"

"I'm sorry, I thought the profanity was over!" Cinna covers my ears for the next three minutes. When he lets go I hear Daddy yell "...cut your throat open and use your blood as syrup on my pancakes!"

* * *

Next chapter...

The interviews! A more serious chapter! (Mostly.)


	5. The InterviewsDon't Screw This Up!

A/N: For anyone who wants a visual, I have posted at THE VERY BOTTOM of my profile, a link to an album on my sister's Photobucket where I put pictures of the characters

**The Interviews...Don't Screw This Up!**

* * *

_Ever..._

After lunch, it is time for the interviews. Tanith and my father worked out Robbie's angle. Tough, don't-care, hard ass. All he has to do is be himself. Daddy and Tanith try to get me to work several angles:

Amazingly funny- EPIC fail, Tanith's worst idea EVER. (Pun on my name NOT intended)

Tough- No way in heck I could pull that off!

Clueless- I vehemently refuse

Nonchalant- "Impossible! I care too much! I worry too much!"

The Stragegist- "I'm A strategist. Not THE Strategist. Nick Dawn. _He's _THE strategist."

Finally, Cinna comes to the rescue. He suggests innocent little girl. "Use her young age for her benefit. Don't make her look weak, just adorable, lovable, cute and cuddly...like a stuffed animal, but not so fluffy."

I know he added the last part so I would laugh, which I do.

"You might also want to tell the story about your mom." Cinna said as he added some finishing touches to my dress.

"Tell then what?"

"About your mom. If you can find an opening in Caesar's questions, that is. The sponsors love a tragic story, especially if it is true."

I think for a moment before I say, "No way. Good idea, but no. The Capitol has already taken away my future. They aren't having my past, too."

The training scores were revealed earlier today.

Trendy Twilight D1- 9

City Ballantine D1- 11

Slate Fallon D2- 11

Amity Taryn D2- 10

Zephyr Polyoxl D3- 8

Zayna Code D3- 8

Josiah Keller D4- 11

Taya Scout D4- 11

Neeko Quninley D5- 5

Nirvana Jessup D5- 9

Jackson Opal D6- 4

Tigerlily Corbin D6- 9

Mike Mulligan D7- 8

Hollie Staern D7- 7

Nolan Wilton D8- 4

Carmen Silver D8- 7

Colton Cotton D9- 8

Asia Hedvigg D9- 7

Nick Dawn D10- 5

Nevaeh Tierney D10- 7

Knox Trader D11- 3

Elina Hard D11- 7

Robbie Hester D12- 10

My score was last.

Ever Abernathy, D12- 7

I was shocked at what the gamemakers thought of me. 7 wasn't anything like the 11 that four out of six Careers got, but 7 was good for a twelve year old from Twelve.

So, here I am, waiting in line for my interview.

First, is District 1. Trendy Twilight's approach is seductive, border-line provocative.

"So Trendy, what do you do in your spare time?"

"Usually, guys with muscles."

City Ballantine has the same angle as Robbie, answering Caesar's questions with questions.

"So City, how did you feel about the reaping?"

"How do you feel about me biting you?"

District 2 is next.

Amity Taryn steps out in this amazing green dress.

"So Amity, what is your strategy?"

"Kill whoever annoys me."

Ceaser, in a high-pitched voice says, "How interesting!"

"Ceaser?"

"Yes, Amity?"

"You're annoying me..."

Ceaser gulps. Luckily, the bell rings shortly after Amity's warning.

Slate Fallon steps out.

"My, Slate, you look great today!"

"Thank you." He says slowly, straightening his tie.

"Now can you sum up what the Hunger Games are to you?"

"It's called the Hunger Games, isn't it? That's exactly what it is - a game."

"A game, hm?"

"Yes. And I will crush anyone who stands in my way."

"Any romances, Slate? I hear you are pretty friendly with that girl from District Ten."

Slate shrugs, "That is for you to form your own opinions about."

"Tell us!" Ceaser insists.

"Okay...can you all keep a secret?"

"YES!" The audience replies.

"It's personal. And, we are out of time." RIIING!

"Awwwww." The audience whines.

My friends from Three are up next.

Zayna freaking _owns _the audience. She looks gorgeous in a simple grey dress with a chunky black belt and blue flats. I selfishly congratulate my self for allying with her. If she is well-liked, she gets sponsors. She get's sponsors, she gets food. She gets food, she shares with me...you see where this is going.

"Zayna, do you have friends at home?"

"Yes...one. Zora Corg."

"Last year's victor?"

"Yes. We have been friends since we were toddlers."

"Brilliant! Now, your score in training was a 8. That's better than Zora's 7 last year, and almost as good as Beetee's score of a 9...how many years ago was that? Now, how do oyu feel aobut winning? Think you can do it?"

"Why of course I'm going to win! I wouldn't want to let my fan club back home of exactly one point six (1.6) down!"

The audience laughs and claps and cheers. RIIING!

Zayna smiles, stands up and nods to them, exiting the stage.

Zephyr walks out.

"So Zephyr, you _must _have a girl at home...who?"

"Unless you count my little sister, which would be pedophilia and gross, no."

"Oh. Then in that case...he's free ladies!"

The girls in the audience blow him more kisses than they already were.

Zeph lazily catches one and tosses it back. The Capitol girls act like he threw a sweat rag and all try to 'catch' the kiss Zeph held.

Taya Scout from Four steps out when the bell rings.

"Taya Scout. Such a beautiful name!" Ceaser says.

"Ah, thanks..." Taya says slowly. Her approach is 'just be a girl.'

"Really, it flows well! You have a man back home?"

"No, I'm kinda short...I mean, big assets only go so far. I look a twelve-year-old with boob implants!"

Ceaser laughs. "What about winning? Will you win?"

"I have to win. Who else will- OOOH shiny!" Taya plays with her diamond necklace. RIING!

Josiah Keller from Four is next. He plays it cool, but not arrogant.

Nirvana Jessup from Five steps out next. She is wearing a pants suit. "Hello, Caesar. Evening, peasants!" She looks at the audience.

They laugh. A lot of tributes seem to be trying comedy this year.

Neeko Quinley is next. He is shy, scared and humble. Poor kid. "When I do get killed, I'll become a constellation, so at least I can look at the world from the sky."

Tigerlily Corbin of Six is like a female Robbie. Cocky, over-confident, annoying. She mentions her one-night stand with, 'The hottie from Twelve!'

Jackson Opal is nicer. "Meh. I might win...might not...it depends on if I die or not." RIING!

Out steps Seven's girl tribute, Hollie Stern. Hollie's angle is tough, but not arrogant.

"Hollie, please! Tell us your strategies!"

What are my strategies? Why, make sure everyone else doesn't win, of course!"

The audience laughs nervously. RIIING, Mike mulligan's turn.

Mike is emotionless. One-word answers. No sponsors for him!

RIIING Eight's turn! Carmen Silver steps out. "Before you as Caesar, yes. I have a man at home. My fiancee, Derrick Rowan."

"Awwwwwwwwwwwww!" The audience croons.

RIING! It is Nolan Wilton's turn too fast.

"You name is Naren Milton, right?"

"...No."

Caesar checks his list. "Nolan Wilton! Of course! So, Nolan, are you happy to be here?"

"...No."

"Any girls?"

"...No."

"Any...hobbies?" he offers desperately.

"...No."

RIING! Out steps Asia.

"So Asia, I understand your sister, Lissana won a few years back?"

Asia nods, "Yep."

"How exciting is it, following in her footsteps?"

"O...okay, I guess."

"You guess?"

"Well, I want my own adventure, not a different version of my sister's...Life is either a daring adventure, or it is nothing."

"Excellent saying, Asia! Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant!"

The audience repeats, "Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant..."

RIING. Colton's turn.

I almost scream when I see him.

He walks out in a neon green t-shirt, bright yellow skinny tie, a Mohawk, bright orange skinny jeans...ridiculous.

"What do you think of your stylist?"

"Well, at first I thought it was terrible but then it handed me THIS fine outfit. I say 'it' because Tyg has yet to tell me if it is a man or a woman."

"Any girl back home?"

Colton grins widely, "More like GIRLS. Nah, just kidding. I guess I'm just waitin' for the right girl to come along."

"Awwww." the audience sighs. Colton fan-girls are now squealing.

"How do you like the Capitol?"

"It's great! What's not to like? Fine food, fine quarters and most of all," Colton winks at the audience, "the fine ladies."

RIING! Colton's fan-girls begin to whine and demand him back onstage.

The girl from Ten steps out. Nevaeh Tierney.

Caesar asks her a series of questions. Her approach is clearly comfortable and warm. "What do you think about the games, hm?"

"What do YOU think of the Games, Caesar?" Giggles.

RIING Nick Dawn's turn. He pulls of one of my failed angles. _THE _Strategist.

RIING! Elina Herb's turn. Elina looks stunning. Her stylist sis obviously competing with Cinna and Portia. She is wearing a dress made of lush green grass with butterflies and ladybugs on it. As well as a colorful assortment of flowers. She also wears hair extensions and the ends are green so she blends in with the grass.

"You look amazing Elina!"

"Thanks Caesar. You look-" her eyes look Caesar up an down twice. "...interesting."

RIING! Knox Trader steps out. What he says depresses me. "I know I have no chance in winning. I am of no use to anyone anyway, so I guess these stupid games are doing some good- weeding out useless people like me." _And Ever Abernathy._

RIING! Twelve's turn. Gulp. That means me.

I step out in a light gold spaghetti strap dress that doesn't go down too far on my legs, but covers. Cinna even gave me matching shoes, and used a brand new unused pencil of his gold eyeliner to match my outfit. Flavius, Venia and Octavia spent hours on my hair trying to curl it.

"Hello Ever!" Caesar says when she sees me.

I (purposely) stumble slightly in my heels. "Oops." I say before taking a seat. "Hi Caesar!" I say in a cheery voice. "Hi." I wave shyly to the audience, using a cutesy voice.

"Awwww!" the audience croons.

"How are you this evening?"

"Good." I smile a childish smile. "How are you Caesar?"

"I am wonderful! Now, I hear you have quite the famous parentage. You father is Haymitch Abernathy, is he not?"

I nod and flash the cameras a winning smile. "Yep. Only, I wouldn't call him 'quite famous.' More like, 'quite infamous!'"

The audience erupts into laughter, though what I said wasn't really _that _funny. More like a subtle insult.

I decide to milk this for as long as I can. "I mean, he drinks a lot but he's a funny drunk, not a violent one...who _didn't _laugh when he gave Tanith Rudo that drunken hug?"

The audience nods in agreement, and Caesar laughs. "You, Miss Ever, are absolutely charming!"

"Thank you." I say, acting as timid as possible. I push a stray curl from my face.

"Now, I know it is impolite to ask a lady to tell her age, but do you mind?"

"Not at all! I am twelve years old."

"How long have you _been _twelve?"

I pause for a moment. "Would you like exact numbers, or just the dumb version."

"Exact numbers, why not?"

"Good. The dumb version is for stupid people, and you are totally not stupid." I say.

Caesar claps in delight.

"I have been twelve for four months, six days, eight hours and-" I glance at Caesar's watch, "-seventeen minutes."

"Amazing! How did you calculate that?"

I give everyone a girly giggle, "Oh that's easy! I am pretty certain that Daddy hasn't been lying to me about my birthday. All I had to do for the exact time was look at my birth certificate. See? Easy."

"You still call your father 'Daddy?'"

I smooth out a non-existent wrinkle on my dress, then find a curl and twirl it around my index finger. "Well yeah, why wouldn't I? He's...well he's Daddy. I'm his little princess."

More, 'awwww's from the audience.

"What do you do for fun?"

"Read, play the piano- I almost have the guitar mastered- and I write...songs."

"You write songs?"

"Yes."

"Could you sing a little something for us?"

"I'd love to, believe me, it's just...I'm really shy, and..."I trail off. "Sorry." I tell the crowd.

"It's okay!" Caesar says. "Are you excited about the Hunger Games?"

I sink into my seat just enough for the audience, Caesar and the cameras to see. "I guess I'm excited..."

"You _guess_?"

I take a deep breath. "My mom died in the arena during the 60th Hunger Games. Of course I'm not exactly elated to be going into the arena...but hey, here' hoping I can give them a good 72nd Games, right?" I offer with a shrug, weakly thrusting a fist into the air and lowering it.

"You know? I'm routing for you!" Caesar says.

A good portion of the audience agrees.

"The buzzer will go off in 3-2- I'm out." I say, walking off the stage.

Robbie's interview is next. I don't bother to listen to much of it. I am feeling sick.

"I've always wanted to try dying once."

I pick that quote up from Robbie's interview. Well, that and a lot of comments bashing Daddy, which I actually agreed with some of th

After the interviews, it is time for dinner. I am the first to arrive at the Dining Hall, so I pick a table and sit down. I skip over all the delicious Capitol dishes and choose a simple salad. "Hello Daddy's little princess." Robbie smirks, sitting down next to me. "Nice job playing the mommy card." he adds.

I punch him in the gut.

"Hey!"

"That was very rude." I take a bite out of piece of lettuce, then shove the salad away from me.

"You gonna finish that?"

"Possibly." I mumble.

He shrugs.

Cinna takes the seat on my other side. Portia and Tanith sit next to each other on the other side of the table. Daddy is- as usual- the last to arrive. He sits across from me.

"How did you like Cinna's dress?" Tanith asks.

"Oh, it was nice." I say.

"_Just _nice?" Tanith asks, in shock.

"No, it was lovely." I say, looking at Cinna. "I'm just more of a 'torn jeans and a t-shirt with the same jacket I wore for four days' kind of girl, that's all."

Cinna smiles. "I know what you mean. I used to be attached my ripped jeans and dirty jackets, too."

"You wear the same jacket for _four _days? Haymitch, do you even take care of this child?"

Oh no. Tanith is going to die. Like, NOW.

* * *

_Haymitch..._

I am not sure if Ever and I are back to normal again. I can't tell if she still hates me or not. I hope not. I want my little princess to be able to talk to me again. I don't want her to walk into the arena hating me.

"How did you like Cinna's dress?" Tanith asks.

"Oh, it was nice." I say.

"_Just _nice?" Tanith asks, in shock.

"No, it was lovely." I say, looking at Cinna. "I'm just more of a 'torn jeans and a t-shirt with the same jacket I wore for four days' kind of girl, that's all."

Cinna smiles. "I know what you mean. I used to be attached my ripped jeans and dirty jackets, too."

"You wear the same jacket for _four _days? Haymitch, do you even take care of this child?"

That's it. I might not be the best father in the world, but I love my daughter. Of course my alcohol addiction hinders my parenting, and that is completely my fault. But I do all I possibly can think of for her.

Tanith Rudo must die. I slam my fist on the table. "Of course I do!"

"Doesn't seem like it. Four day old jackets?"

"Oh, well you see, even with the money victors get paid, we can't afford to wear things only once then throw them away like trash. Not everyone is swimming in money, you know." I say.

Tanith opens her mouth to speak, but can't seem to think of anything rude enough.

I look at Ever and smile. She smiles back. "You still hate me from the other day?" I mouth.

She shakes her head no.

"Good." I look at the full bowl of salad in front of her. "Did you eat?" I ask her aloud.

"Yes." she says quickly.

"She's lying. I saw her a take a small bite out of a piece of lettuce, but that was it."

"Robbie! Shut up before I rip out your tonsils and feed them to Cinna!" Ever hisses.

"Huh?" Cinna is clueless

"What? All I did was tell the truth you pig loving-"

"That's enough! Robbie, shut up before I rip of your manhood and shove it down your throat! Ever! Be nice or I'll beat you with a mop!"

We all turn to face Cinna.

"Did Cinna just make a violent threat?" Portia asks Tanith.

"I...I think so."

"How come Ever gets beaten with a mop and I get my privates shoved down my throat?"

"Because I like Ever. I don't like _you _so much." Cinna looks up at me and smiles. I nod in approval.

"But seriously, Ever. You need to eat." I say.

"I'm not hungry."

"Are you feeling okay?" I press my hand against her forehead.

"I'm fine, really. I'll get a cup of hot chocolate and then go to bed. I'll come down here if I'm hungry later."

"Well, alright. 'Night, sweetheart." I say, kissing her forehead.

"'Night." Ever says, giving me a peck on the cheek.

"Aw, so cute!" Robbie says sarcastically.

"Can I kill him?" I ask Tanith.

"Only if I get the punch." She says.

I begin to roll my eyes before I realize she just made a joke.

I notice Raewyn watching Ever leave. She stands up and throws her trash away, heading to the elevator.

* * *

_Ever..._

After ducking out of dinner early, I go up to the roof with a Styrofoam cup of hot chocolate. Styrofoam kills the planet, I know, but quite frankly I don't care. I set it on the ledge, letting it cool down. I move to sit next to it on the ledge, feet dangling over the edge.

I wonder how far down it is from here. Maybe if I toss myself over I can end it all and not have to die painfully in the arena. Maybe I jump I will get a short taste of flying, then _splat! _it's over, just like that.

"Don't even think about jumping."

"Hey Raewyn. I wasn't going to jump." I lie.

"You can't anyway. If you jump, a force field just bounces you right back up."

"Damn."

"You _are _your father's daughter."

I shake my head. "We're nothing alike."

"Still mad at him from the other day?"

"Uh uh...you know about that?"

"He told me." Raewyn sits next to me on the ledge, not worrying about balancing herself.

"You must really trust the force field."

She chuckles, "Well, I guess you can say I do."

A short silence follows before I ask, "How do you know him?"

"Hm?"

"How do you know Daddy? And me? The way you act...it's odd, even for someone who just genuinely cares about kids."

Raewyn bites her lip, "I promised I wouldn't tell."

"Tell what?"

"Tell you what you're asking me." I plead with her until she tells me what I want to know. "The 60th Games. When I won."

"Those are the Games my mom was in." I say.

* * *

_Haymitch..._

After dinner, I do to check on Ever. She isn't in her room, which didn't surprise me. She is probably in mine, asleep on the couch, though she knows I would let her have the bed and not make her move. I unlock the door to my room, thinking she will be there, but she isn't. I try the roof.

I open the door to get to the roof. The crack isn't even an inch wide when I hear voices.

"You must really trust the force field." Says the first person.

The second person laughs, "Well, I guess you can say I do."

I peek through the crack and see two people sitting on the ledge. I look closer. The smaller person is Ever. The taller, is Raewyn.

"How do you know him?" Ever asks.

"Hm?" Raewyn heard the question. She and I both know what Ever means. _She's avoiding again._

"How do you know Daddy? And me? The way you act...it's odd, even for someone who just genuinely cares about kids."

_Don't tell her, don't tell her..._

Raewyn bites her lip, "I promised I wouldn't tell."

_Nice Raewyn. Good Raewyn. You deserve a cookie...or a drink. I could _really _use a drink right now. Where's Chaff when you need him?_

"Tell what?"

"Tell you what you're asking me."

Ever pleads with her until she tells. Which, only took about ten seconds. Raewyn- like me- fell victim to the puppy dog face.

"The 60th Games. When I won."

_Bad Raewyn! Now cookie for you! I have to find her alcohol supply and drink i! I mean, pour it down the sink...Of course, he drinking is for fun, unlike mine and Chaff's. Crap. No alcohol stash for her._

"Those are the Games my mom was in."

_I was thinking she wouldn't get the connection..._ Thinking that was useless, though. She remembers everything I tell her about Rose.

"Yeah..."Raewyn trails off uncomfortably, knowing what question is coming next.

Ever gasps and prepares to move away from her. "Did you help the boy from Twelve _kill _her?"

"What!"

"Did. You. Kill. Her?" Ever repeats slowly. "Tell the truth."

"No. That's the truth."

"Oh...then how did you know her."

"The first night we were in the Capitol I walked over to her and asked is she was going to finish her dinner. She said she wasn't and I could have it. It was cold, but good."

"Sounds like something I would do." Ever laughs.

"Again I say, you are so much like Haymitch."

"And again _I _say, we are nothing alike."

Raewyn carefully looks her over. "Yeah...I guess you're more like Rose. In appearance at least. I guess a little in personality too...but mostly Haymitch."

"False, we're nothing alike, at all. He drinks all day, I do housework. He cares about nothing and I worry about everything."

Raewyn shakes her head. "Nah, I don't think so. He cares about you, for sure."

"That's a given. We're still not a like."

"You're both very stubborn." she notes.

Ever shrugs. "I guess so...hey Raewyn?"

"Hm?"

"If you didn't kill her, then how did you know her?"

_Raewyn has to tell her now...oh well._

"Allies."

"You were allies with her?"

"Yeah...allies. Even if we weren't, I doubt I could have killed her."

"Well why?"

"You, actually. Your parents had to bring you to the Capitol that year. I saw them with you. I couldn't kill some kids mother before she had a chance to know her...the woman I grew up calling 'mom' is actually my step-mom. I love her and all, but it's not the same."

I can't see, but I am sure Ever is at least half-smiling. "So you know how it feels too, huh?" Ever yawns.

"Yeah."

"Hi." I say, opening the door all the way.

"Hi, Haymitch."

"Hey Daddy." Ever says sleepily.

"You two are giving me a heart attack, get down."

"Oh come on, Raewyn says there's a force field."

"Yeah, Haymitch, come on." Raewyn whines like a ten-year-old. Then she starts laughing. "Well, I'm calling it a night. It was nice actually getting to talk you, Ever."

"You too." Ever yawns.

"What were you two talking about?" I ask, pretending not to know.

"Oh, as if you didn't eavesdrop."

"You're right. I did."

She giggles sleepily. "Figures."

"You should get to sleep." I say.

"I don't wanna."

"The Games are tomorrow." my authoritative tone hides the tears starting to form. It is at this moment that the realization that these may be the last moments I have with my daughter.

* * *

My sister is kicking me off, so here it is! I'll finish up this end part tomorrow at the start of the next chapter. So...hope if didn't totally suck!


	6. The Arena

A/N: This chapter is VERY short, yes. The next one will be longer and FULL of action.

* * *

**The Arena**

* * *

_Parting is all we know of heaven and all we need to know of hell. _

_~Emily Dickinson, "Parting"_

* * *

_Haymitch..._

"You still have those envelopes I handed you, right?"

I nod. "They're in my suitcase, front zipper."

"Good. You'll need to hand those out when you get home."

"I won't have to...you'll be-"

"Don't lie." she says.

I hold in the tears that are surely forming. First my fiancée, now twelve years later, our daughter. This isn't fair.

"One more thing, Daddy?"

"Sure, anything."

"Don't kill yourself just because I die."

"I wouldn't-"

"Yes. You would. It's not what I would want you to do, so just remember that."

"Alright, fine."

Ever yawns and her eyelids look like they're getting heavy.

"Time for you to go to bed. No arguing."

She decides to actually listen to me this time and she goes inside without any complaining.

I follow, just to make sure she doesn't crash in the hallway.

I start to go back to the roof, but I realize I am tired, too. I go into my room to sleep. My suitcase in lying open on the bed on the side that I usually sleep on, so I kick it off. Everything spills out, but I really don't care. I stare at the ceiling as if somehow, that would distract me from my thoughts, but it doesn't. Instead, it just _helps _me think, which is something I don't want. I consider going down to get a few drinks, but decide against it. I don't need to be hungover when Ever steps into that arena tomorrow. Ah, the ceiling. My closest friend, my confidant.

* * *

_Ever..._

I wake up early on purpose so I could say good-bye to Daddy and Raewyn before Peacekeepers take us away. Last night was supposed to be the last time tributes see their mentors and escorts.

I use the key card I swiped to get into Daddy's room. "Are you decent?" I whisper.

"Yes. I don't sleep without clothes on, that's just disgusting."

"Nuh uh! That one time, remember?"

"I was completely wasted, so that doesn't count."

"Whatever. I just came to say goodbye again. So...goodbye."

Daddy just stares at me. "I love you. Always will."

"Aw, now I'm going to cry."

"Good. I won't be the only one." his voice begins to break halfway through.

"Well, I'm going to go before we get in trouble for seeing each other. Tell Raewyn and Chaff I said goodbye. Beetee and Finnick too, if you see them. And Seeder, don't forget Seeder."

"I won't."

"Great."

He presses the three middle fingers on his left hand to his lips and extends them to me- a rarely used and emotional gesture in District 12.

I do the same before I leave.

Peacekeepers take me and bring me to my prep team. They all give me sad smiles.

When they are done prepping me, they get Cinna. As soon as I see him I fling my arms around him like a small child.

Cinna hugs me back. "You're wearing the purple eyeliner." he whispers.

I smile. "Thought you'd like that. It's beautiful by the way. Purple is a great color."

"Told you you'd like it."

"Cinna, it is okay if I consider you my friend?"

He looks like he wants to cry. "I'd like that very much."

"Good. Then, as my friend, can you promise me one thing?"

"Anything."

"When I die in there-"

"Not hearing it. You won't die."

"I don't stand a chance against the Careers."

"Ah, that amy be true, but how do you know the the Careers won't finish themselves off? Or the Gamemakers? Or other tributes? The training scores were unusually high this year. Therefore, you stand a chance."

I smile, "Thanks Cinna."

"Now go put this horrid outfit on." Cinna hands me a pair of torn jeans that once looked outrageously expensive, and a dirty, black t-shirt.

I change quickly.

Cinna takes out the messy ponytail I wouldn't let the prep team touch. Without a word, he takes a brush and lightly brushes it before putting my hair in two low pigtails that hung close to the back my head.

I slowly reach up to touch the pigtails. "I've never been able to get them to stay that low. Or so far back. How?"

"Practice. I had younger sisters growing up."

"Wouldn't they do their own hair?"

Cinna bites his lip. He is hiding something. "Yes, but it isn't hard to learn by watching them."

The Peacekeepers announce that it is time for me to head to the arena.

Cinna gives my hand a squeeze and gently pushes me into the little tube that would take me to the arena.

I wave goodbye to him before the tube closes.

He nods with a somber smile.

The tube take me up to the arena.

I look at the tributes faces before looking at the arena.

It is the ruins of a city. No where near as large as the Capitol, but too large to be considered a small town. It is all overgrown with trees and grass, but there are definitely building remnants there. The trees look safe to climb. Oddly enough, there are beautiful butterflies everywhere. I look around for Asia, Zayna, Colton and Zephyr. All four make eye contact with me and nod gravely. The nods say what words can't express at the moment. They say: _This is it, guys. The Arena. The alliance still stands. _I look back to the Arena and find the Cornucopia.

_**FLASHBACK**_

_"Avoid the Cornucopia." Daddy said. "Get a backpack and some weapons and get out of there as soon as you can."_

_**END FLASHBACK**_

All of the tributes seem as confused as I am.

"Welcome to the 72nd annual Hunger Games." the voice of Claudius Templesmith announces. "BEGIN!" his voice shouts, along with a horn.

At that moment, the tributes all rush forward to claim a backpack, weapons...and each other's lives.

* * *

**A/N: Short and suck-ish, I know. I just wanted to move on to the ACTUAL Hunger Games :)**


	7. Danger Zone

**A/N: WHOOO the actual Games!**

**A/N2: lol I heard that song from Top Gun on the radio today and I thought, "oooh, title for my next fanfic chapter!" then my friend lookd at me funny, but that's OK! :)**

**A/N3: Okay, okay, I was bored, so I played to song "Danger Zone" and "Blow Me Away" (that latter is by Breaking Benjamin) while typing this over and over...they BOTH kinda fit the chapter, lol!**

* * *

**Danger Zone**

* * *

_Recap: "Welcome to the 72nd annual Hunger Games." the voice of Claudius Templesmith announces. "BEGIN!" his voice shouts, along with a horn._

_Ever..._

For once, I don't pay attention to the other tributes, not even my allies. I run straight for the mess of weapons. There are two bow-and-arrow sets. Crap. Zayna, Asia and I all specialize in that. I'll just let them- no! These are the Hunger Games! Alliances are okay, but giving them the only weapon you can use is bad!

I am about ten feet from the scattered mess of weapons when I see Zayna take the bow I wanted. _Shoot! Gotta get the smaller one before Asia- _Too late. Asia beats me to it. I sigh and rush to the weapons anyway. Amity Taryn from Two reaches for a flail, but I grab it before she does. She scowls and soon finds another. I drop the flail, deciding that it isn't worth it. "KNIVES!" I shout to myself, diving for a nice-looking set of them.

"EVER DUCK!" Colton shouts.

My eyes widen as a spear heads straight for my forehead. Colton's warning reached my ears just in time. I duck and the spear hits the boy from District 6 through the throat, a cannon signifies his death. What's his name again? I look to see who threw the spear. The girl from Six just tried to kill me, but instead, she killed her district partner.

I duck to avoid a kunai that was either thrown by Mike or Carmen, along with many other weapons. A backpack. That's what I need. I see Colton and Zephyr head off into the woods with weapons and a large backpack. I see Asia with a medium-sized one. Zayna grabs the smallest one there it and swings it over her shoulder.

Backpack, backpack.

I grab the first one I see.

One of Zayna's arrows narrowly misses my head. I am prepared to throw a knife at her, but I see the body of Nick Dawn from District 10 hit the ground. "He was about to jump you! Let's GO!" Zayna shouts, grabbing my hand and half-leading half-dragging me to where Asia and the guys ran off to.

The agonizing screams of the other tributes fill my ears the whole way there. _What about Robbie! Did Hollie or Amity suddenly turn on him?_

Zayna hurries into a fallen building with the others. On my way, I trip over a rock and somersault in another direction. I go to stand up to join my allies when I see Josiah Keller from 4 put a trident through the weakling boy from 11. _Boom! _A cannon. Funny how he predicted his death so clearly. Josiah's eyes lock with mine and he pulls the trident out of the boy and throws it at me. I scream and roll to my right, standing up. I throw one of the knives at Josiah, it hits him in the abdomen, but misses anything vital. He pulls his trident out of the ground and tries to stab me through the stomach with it. I move away from him, just in time to see a scythe cut his body in half. _Boom! Boom! _Josiah and some other tribute are now dead. Funny. Slate Fallon and Josiah Keller are both Careers. Why would one kill the other so soon? The boy from District 2, Slate Fallon jumps out of a tree to fetch his scythe. I close my eyes, knowing I am next. He walks closer to me, both hands on his scythe...

* * *

_Robbie..._

Ha! First time you lame-Os hear from my awesomenes, right?

Right!

As soon as the horn blows, I beeline for a backpack. I reach for the biggest one I can find, but that boy from 4 grabs it. I glare at him and grab the second-largest one.

I grab a sword and a few throwing stars. Princess Abernerdy grabs a flail, so Amity has to go hunt for another one. The little brat puts it down ofter a while. Idiot.

Either way, Amity quickly finds a random tribute and bludgeons then with her flail. _Boom! _Girl from 8 is dead.

Hollie Stern grabs and axe. Figures. Little Miss Tree Chopper. Eh, I guess it's worth while having them as allies. Hollie slices off the hand of the gril form 1, but the boy from 1 comes to the girl's aid and forces Hollie to run toward some of the fallen buildings.

"Whoa buddy!" I shout as the annoying guy from Seven leaps from out of nowhere, ready to jab a kunai into my heart. I cut off his hand with my sword. He screams and I smirk, cutting off the rest of that arm. Hm, no wonder the Careers love the games so much. "Take that!" I yell, stabbing him all the way through his abdomen. _Boom! _A canon.

Sure, I know it's his, but I stab his body through the neck just for the heck of it. _Boom! _Another cannon. Hm, maybe it's Ever's cannon. Sure hope so. Abernerdy isn't even a real contender in these Games.

Nirvana Jessup- man, she's HOT- throws a spear and kills the girl she hits.

"Hate to do this to you, honey, but-"

"HUH-!"

I pull the sword out of her abdomen. Wherever I stabbed her, I killed her instantly. _Boom! _

Power.

That's what I feel.

Power, real power.

No Peacekeepers to punish me for my deeds. All these people with privileged lives..._I _get to personally kill them. Oh what a thrill this will be. I don't know why Haymitch drinks to forget the Games. This freedom, this chance for revenge-! Who would want to forget it?

Not me, no sir, not me.

Robbie Hester of District 12 would rather remember these games forever. I can't wait until I see little Abernerdy's face projected in the night sky tonight.

* * *

_Haymitch..._

As usual, I look for Chaff and Seeder so I can sit with them during the Games. Maybe have a few drinks with Chaff. It depends on how long Ever lasts. You can bet that the moment she dies I'll start getting wasted.

"Haymitch! Over here!" Chaff calls, waving his good arm in the air.

I smile half-heartedly. "Good to see you Chaff."

"How do you feel?" Seeder asks.

Sick. That's how I feel. Sick because I have to watch 24 children try to kill each other...again. Sick because my only child is one of them. Sick because of the large amount of Victors there are in this room; usually only two or three are required to mentor tributes. Sick because most of the victors find this entertaining. "I'm fine." I lie.

Chaff and Seeder notice my acrimonious tone. They look around to make sure the cameras aren't on us. Seeder's hug indicates that it is safe. "I'm sorry Haymitch, I really am."

Chaff nods. "Yeah...I'm sorry too. Miranda cried when Ever's name was called."

Miranda is Chaff's daughter. She's three years older than Ever and good friends with her. Same goes for Chaff's son, Kieran, who is older than Ever by five months and a day to the minute. "Don't apologize. It isn't _your _fault she was chosen. Oh, and she said to say goodbye to you two for her."

They give me sympathetic looks. "Heyyyy Haymitch!" says another familiar male voice. The person to whom it belongs shoves the upper half of my body over my legs. I turn my head to face him.

"Finnick." I say unperturbed. _Great. Finnick. He's great and all, but the cameras are on us _for sure _now._

"Aw, you used to be fun to mess with." He pretends to be disappointed.

Despite my alcohol withdrawals and constant worrying about a certain tribute; I can't help but to smile at him. Finnick Odair, the outrageously beyond gorgeous victor from District 4...forget that I called him gorgeous, please.

Finnick sits down in the chair behind me. He uses his feet to spin around in the chair.

"Really Finnick, you're worse than a small child." I tease, stopping the chair suddenly.

"Hey! I was having fun, don't make me punch you Haymitch Abernathy!"

Chaff and I guffaw while seeder just rolls her eyes. "Like you'd _actually _start a fist fight with me. I'd kick your a-"

"Language Haymitch." I am slapped in the back of the head by the new person.

"How come women always ruin the fun, eh?" Finnick asks Chaff and I.

"Now, now, we're all adults here."

"Whoa now Haymitch!" Chaff exclaims with a smirk.

"Does Mr. Abernathy have a lady friend?" Finnick teases as Raewyn sits down next to me.

I roll my eyes. "We're _just _friends." I say at the same time Raewyn says, "I'm married!"

"Ooh, kin-"

"Finnick Odair, if you say what I think you're going to say, I promise you, I will throw you to an angry mob of cannibalistic leprechauns!"

"Kinky!" he shouts with a perverted laugh. "Now where are those leprechauns?"

I slap him on the back of the head. "There's no such thing as leprechauns. Dumbass."

"Then why'd you threaten me with them?"

"To _prove _that you're a dumbass."

Finnick thinks for a minute. "Okay, fine. You win this one, Abernathy...I'll be back!" he warns.

I roll my eyes. "One of these days, I'm just going to snap! And I'm gonna kill him!" I say to Raewyn.

She laughs, "Hm, count me out of the killing. I don't want to the one to have to deal with Mags and Johanna."

"What about Johanna?"

Raewyn's face goes white when Johanna Mason appears out of nowhere. "N-nothing Johanna, nothing at all."

Johanna glares.

Raewyn grabs my arm and uses it to hide her face.

"Uh..." I say, nervously looking around.

"Is she gone?" Raewyn whispers after a while.

"Erm, yeah."

She sighs in relief. "Good. Johanna scares the sh- crap out of me."

Chaff and I laugh at her while her face goes red.

Seeder clears her throat. "Did anybody get a good look at who all the mentors are this year? I mean, just look around. Almost all the living victors are here. It's impossible to tell who are mentors."

Raewyn half-raises a hand. "Um, I got a good look at the mentors."

"Really?" Chaff questions.

She nods.

"Your girlfriend is pretty useful, Haymitch." he teases.

"Not. My. Girl. Friend. Just. Friends." I say. The whole Haymitch/Raewyn thing is _really _getting old.

"Tell us." Seeder says sweetly.

Raewyn unzips her purse.

"Now isn't time for a lipstick touch-up, girly." Chaff jokes.

She rolls her eyes, "I don't wear lipstick." she drops a tiny notebook onto her lap and opens it. She quickly flips through the worn pages. She senses us staring. "I write observations down in these...I have since my Games. I guess it's like some people and their morphling addictions. I have an obsession with getting the kids I mentor home, or at least seeing what I can possibly do to improve the tributes next year...it worked a few times, but...Oh! 72nd Games mentors, here they are." She hands me the list.

Wow. Talk about OCD.

"Correct me if I miss one, Haymitch, but I'm sure I have them memorized. Nobody new, really. they've all mentored before. Calendar and Crayon, the cousin, are mentoring District 1 this year. Enobaria, Brutus and Gunther from 2; Zora and Beetee from 3; Finnick, Truly and Jemima from 4- no clue why they need three, but whatever- Gloria and Barnaby from 5; Eleazar and Athena from 6; Johanna and Blight from 7, Holden and Cecelia from 8; Cruz and myself from 9; Lucas and Leia from 10, and you three from 11 and 12."

"Uh..." Chaff, Seeder and I say in unison.

"What? Did I say last year's list instead? No, I couldn't have, because Zora Corg from 3 won just last year. So yeah, I got it right. What?"

"You are just...whoa!" Seeder says.

"I 'gree with the old lady." Chaff says.

I nod in agreement.

"What's your name anyway?"

"Uh, Raewyn."

Chaff smiles, "Glad to have you with us, Raewyn." he shakes her hands with his good arm."

Finnick sits back down behind me. "Anyone up for a bottle of Capitol wine? Haymitch? Chaff? Haymitch's mystery girl?"

"I'll have some." Chaff and Raewyn say in unison.

"Um, I'll pass."

Finnick is dumbfounded. "Haymitch? Declining a drink! Is the world coming to an end?"

Chaff and Seeder give him annoyed looks. "Did you not pay attention to the tributes besides your own?"

Finnick shakes his head. "Why would I? They're going to kick all your tributes butts anyway."

Friendly competition. The Capitol audience will eat that up.

"So...how are your tributes, Finnick?" I ask.

"They're okay. The girl is so dumb though, that unless she teams up with a genius, she'll last four days, max. The boy? He could very well win. Josiah's got promise. And yours, Eleven?"

"The boy doesn't stand a chance. Bloodbath death for sure. The girl is tough, though. She'll go far." Chaff says, taking the bottle form Finnick. "What about you, Raewyn?"

"Well, I really don't know. Asia's sister, Lissana, won a few years back, but Asia is barely thirteen. With luck, she might make it. Colton? He's such a sweetie. I really don't know. He might get pretty far. It really just depends on who takes out who and who he has to fight."

We all nod. "What about yours, Haymitch?"

"Well, Robbie's 18 and is one of the few kids from Twelve that are strong enough to possibly make it."

"What about the girl?" he presses.

"Finnick!" Chaff and Seeder scold.

"What?" he asks.

Raewyn raises her eyebrows at him. "You mean you don't know?"

"Don't know what?"

"My other tribute is a 12-year-old girl named Ever. Get it now?" I ask him, grabbing the bottle from Chaff, prepared to chug what I can.

"Nuh uh uh!" Raewyn scolds, grabbing it from me and taking a large sip. "No controlling substances for you!"

"Hell man, I'm so sor-"

"You don't have to apologize. None of it's your fault. Really, I'm just sick of hearing it."

Finnick bites his inner cheek. "Right, sor- okay."

Obnoxious yelling is heard from the other side of the room. Crayon and Gunther are in a wild fist fight.

"Welcome to the 72nd annual Hunger Games." the voice of Claudius Templesmith announces. "BEGIN!" his voice shouts, along with a horn.

Everyone shuts up and listens, even Crayon and Gunther, who will continue their fight later.

In less than ten minutes, six tributes are dead.

First, Robbie kills the boy from 7 in self defense. Then the girl from 6 tries to kill Ever, but Colton from 9 tells her to duck and the spear that should have killed her killed the boy from 6, instead. Soon after, Zayna shoots a fatal arrow into the boy from 10 as he tries to jump Ever. _Mega-alliances work after all..._

The girl from 2 that Robbie allied with kills the girl from 8.

Robbie then kills the girl form 5 for the heck of it. That makes my stomach churn. I don't train sadists.

Finnick's boy kills the boy from 11 with his trident.

"Haymitch!" Raewyn exclaims, pointing at the screen.

Finnick's boy is headed right toward Ever, ready to kill. Asia Hedvigg is in a tree, prepared to shoot and arrow into his spine. All of the mentors and victors jump as they see the boy get sliced in half by a scythe that literally, appeared out of the blue. The thrower of the scythe jumps down from the tree, pulls the scythe out of the ground, and walks toward Ever. Her eyes are closed, waiting for him to kill her.

"Ow!" Asia shoots an arrow into his back, barely missing the spine. The boy from 2 yanks it out of his back and snaps it in two with her foot. He stares at the cowering girl on the ground, and the now just as fearful one in the tree. He scoffs, "I won't even bother killing you two. You're both-" he kicks Ever in the gut, "-worthless-" he kicks her in the face, "-weakling-" kick to the chest, "-little-" stomps hard on her right arm, "-babies." Ever is now supporting herself with her knees, coughing up blood. Asia shoots another arrow at him, this time, Zayna joins in from the ground. Colton and Zephyr throw knives at him. The boy- Slate Fallon, I think- deflects the knife with his scythe and backpack, and dodges the arrows. One of the knives lodges itself into Zayna's thigh, another into Ever's side, and another pierces Zayna's hand.

"Crap! That REALLY hurts!" Zayna exclaims.

Slate smirks. "You you're with these worthless babies I see." he says to the older three.

"Yeah! What of it?" Zephyr asks.

Slate extends his hand. "Leave them. Join me."

Zephyr moves his hand toward Slate's. "YAH!" he punches him in the nose with his other fist, breaking it.

Slate retreats.

I look over to my right and see Enobaria send him a parachute full with things. Careers and thier money. They make me SICK.

* * *

_Ever..._

After Slate's kicking fest, Asia quickly helps me up. "Sorry we didn't fight him better."

"Yeah. We were just...in total shock." Zayna adds.

"Let's hope we don't freeze up like that next time." Zephyr says.

Colton nods seriously. "Or else...we'll all be dead next time."

"Why don't we get somewhere isolated now and look what we have in our backpacks?" I suggest.

"Good idea, kid." Colton and Zephyr say in unison.

I swear, they share a brain.


	8. I Will Survive!

**A/N: Okay, I'm a freak, so sorry if I mention songs and stuff. This chapter's title comes from a song title. (A later chapter will be Stayin' Alive. teehee!)**

* * *

**I Will Survive**

* * *

_Ever..._

The five of us begin our trek through the forest ruins of the city.

"I wonder if this was an actual city, or just something to Gamemakers made up this year." Zephyr says.

Zayna looks around. "Well, the Capitol is located in what used to be the Rocky Mountains, so, we could very well be in the ruins of Boulder, Colorado."

All of us- except Zephyr of course- turn our heads to her and look at her funny.

"What?"

"How did you _know _all of that?" I ask.

"Oh, it's basic education in District 3. We learn about where the districts are in our first year of preschool, and then we learn about the states of the Former United States of America throughout our second year of preschool and grades 1 & 2. After that, we get into more advanced geography. Don't you do that in Twelve and Nine?"

Asia, Colton and I shake our heads.

"If you don't learn geography and all the other cool stuff, then what _do _you do?" Zayna asks.

"In Nine, we usually just learn about the Capitol. We never go beyond the Dark Days. In fact, they hardly scratch the surface of the Days in school. Right, Asia?" Colton says.

Asia nods. "What do they do in Twelve?"

"Most of the interesting stuff we get is learning about where Twelve is. Somewhere called Appalachia. We have to go down into the coal mines once a year as part of our training."

"What are the mines like?" Colton asks.

"Dark. Scary. There's always strange sounds down there. Daddy- I mean- my father says that's just because I'm paranoid, but it's still creepy, even without my paranoia."

Zephyr smiles, "At least they teach you big words in Twelve."

I shake my head. "Not really. They don't to that until kids are about 14."

"Then how do you use them in the right context?" he asks, picking up a piece of broken concrete and tossing it into the air.

When he catches I answer, "My father and some of the victors he's friends with, mostly. One of the guys from District 11 taught me tons of words to insult people- very useful, I might add- and one of the guys from 3 gave me his dictionary, which is also pretty useful."

"You don't have dictionaries in 12? Really?"

"Oh, there's a few at school, but other than that, no." I say. "You think we're far enough away, yet?"

Zephyr shakes his head. "No. Well, maybe, but I'd rather be safe than sorry." Then, he abruptly stops walking. "Sh! I hear something." he tells us.

I hide inside an opening in a pile of concrete. Asia quickly jumps into a tree, while the others hide behind shrubs. I am expecting to see another tribute, but instead I see a chocolate brown colored animal with large, curved horns. It's body makes it look like a morbidly overgrown goat. _What it is? A mutt?_

An arrow goes through the animal. It stumbles and falls. Another arrow goes through it, almost killing it. Colton walks up and cuts the animal somewhere, killing it.

Asis jumps down from a tree. "It's safe, Zeph." she says.

"Is it?" he asks.

"Yeah. I can't even see the Cornucopia from here. Same goes for any other tributes."

"Alright, I guess we're safe, then."

"We need somewhere to sleep." Zayna says.

We walk around for another ten or fifteen minutes, Colton towing the dead animal. We come across an old sign. The only letters on it were:

AP RTM NTS

"Zeph, what are...ah-per-ti-mun-ti-zuhs?" I ask.

He laughs, so do Zayna and Colton and Asia.

"What? What's so funny?"

"The sign is clearly missing some letters, Ev." Asia says. "It's supposed to say 'apartments.'"

I am still puzzled. "What are apartments?"

Their mouths hang open. "They don't have apartments in District 12?"

I shake my head slowly.

"An apartment," Colton explains "is a type of residential real estate. It's a self-contained housing unit that only covers part of a building."

"Huh? I'm still confused."

Colton sighs and thinks for a minute. "Its like a house- but it isn't a house. Does that make sense?"

"Er, kind of."

"Ugh, here, I'll explain." Zayna says, irritated with Colton's smart language. "It's like a house, only a lot smaller. They usually come with a kitchen, a living room, at least one bedroom and at least one bathroom. It's where people who can't really afford their own house go to live. Or you live in a larger district like District 3 or 4, it's where a lot people live, because the districts are big and tons of people live there. There just isn't enough room for everyone to have their own house. Get it?"

"Got it."

"Well, what do ya see we explore these ah-per-ti-mun-ti-zuhs, eh?" Colton asks us with a goofy grin.

I face goes red, "Ugh, stop. Just forget that I said that."

Colton laughs, "Not a chance."

I roll my eyes and follow him around the ruins of the apartments.

There are no roofs, just floor upon floor. The tops are uneven and are still crumbling. There are pieces of furniture inside, but the springs of the mattresses are showing and the cloth on the couches are molded and tattered, exposing most of the wooden framework, which is also clearly old and molding.

"Hey! I think I found a good place to rest!" I call to everyone after about an hour of exploration.

The place I found is located on the third floor of the building labeled 200s. The concrete stairs are still sturdy with only a few loose chunks. The metal bars are okay to trust, but they are extremely rusty. On the door to the apartment is a small metal plate labeled with the numbers '2308' followed by the letter 'B.' The handle to the door and some parts around it are missing; one of the guys could probably break it down if they need too. Inside, are two ugly old couches. The small kitchen has cabinets and an oven. Of course, the oven doesn't work, but it is good for storing food. Just like Zayna said, there is a bedroom and a bathroom. Of course, the toilet probably doesn't work. There are no screens on the windows, which are mostly broken anyway. There are however, vines growing all around the outside of the building, almost completely coveirng the windows, even creeping into the interior the old building.

In short, it's big enough, it's hidden enough, it's safe enough.

"Nice job, kid." Colton and Zephyr say with identical smiles.

"Are you sure you guys are twins or something?" Asia jokes.

Colton puts the animal he killed in the next apartment. He says he'll skin it and get some meat from it later.

"Well, come one. Let's see what we have in our packs. Oldest-to-youngest." Zayna says.

Zephyr is a slightly older 18 than Zayna, so he dumps the contents of his backpack out. Inside, we find dried fruit, three cherry tomatoes, a large canteen for water- empty, of course- three large boxes of matches, and a nice set of throwing knives. "I grabbed the knives separate." he explains.

Zayna goes next. Inside, there is nothing but a large (empty) canteen for water, an orange, a medium-sized container for food (currently empty, as expected) and a blowgun. "Here, you can have this." she says to me, passing me the blowgun. "I have a bow and arrow set." I thank her as she puts the orange an empty canteen inside her backpack.

_Boom! _A cannon goes off as Colton dumps the contents of his bag out. Inside, is a large but empty canteen for water, a set of knives ("Hunter's knives. For skinning animals! Do the Gamemakers know me or what!"), a good amount of rope, a frying pan ("Frying pan of doom...?") and a needle. ("A _needle_? What am I going to do, _sew _the Careers to death!")

Asia empties out her pack next. There is no canteen in hers. Instead, there is one small box of matches, three tall candles, one tea candle and a plastic spoon. (Colton: A _spoon_? That's more pitiful than the frying pan _and _the needle!)

I, being the youngest, go last. Inside my backpack is a small canteen for water, one medium-sized box of matches, a small, empty container for storing food, and a tiny but sharp pocket knife.

"Hm, seems like the gamemakers actually want us to _survive a few days _this year!" Zayna recklessly shouts, taunting the Capitol.

I can't help but to giggle at her gutsiness.

"That's only because they weren't really expecting five people to form an alliance like this and find the most useful backpacks." Zephyr says like a know-it-all.

I roll my eyes and wonder if this is what it's like to have an older brother that you look up to and love to death, but can't stand.

Colton clears his throat. "I'm going to go skin the sheep."

"That's a _sheep_?" I ask in disbelief. "Don't cha think it's a little to...horny-ish?" (A/N: My 10-year-old cousin said this when he was four. We will NEVER let him live it down!)

The older three erupt into hysterical laughter.

"What now?" Asia and I ask in unison.

"That's what she said!" Zayna exclaims when she catches a breath.

I think for a minute. _Don't cha think it's a little to...horny-ish...oh, I get it! _"Oh, I get it...EW! You guys are GROSS!"

"You said it! And yeah, it's a bighorn sheep." Colton argues.

"Yeah, but I didn't mean it like- ugh, whatever." _It's hopeless._

Zephyr clears his throat. "Okay, so Colton is going to skin the animal and get some decent meat. Maybe we can put the frying pan to use. We have plenty of matches, but we need firewood and water. Zayna and Ever, in a few minutes I want you two to find some edible plants around here- but don't go too far. When the sun sets, but before the dead tributes' faces appear in the sky, Zayna and I will go search for water. After the tributes faces appear, Asia and Ever, I want you to go out and search for firewood. It should be very easy to find, that's why this can be done at night by nothing but moonlight. Got it?"

The four of us nod.

"Good."

"Come on Ev." Zayna says.

I follow her out of the apartment to begin our quest for edible food.

* * *

_Haymitch..._

Zayna sighs an looks at Ever. "Well, I hope _you _at least payed attention and spent some time learning about plants. I didn't even bother with the edible plants station. I was busy honing my fishing-hook skills."

Ever smiles, "Actually, I spent plenty of time with edible plants." She sits on the ground and picks up some small pink flowers. "_Rosa acicularis_. Commonly known as dog rose or prickly rose. Edible." She puts them in the container that came with her backpack.

I know she sounds like a genius with the scientific names and all, but the trainers at the training center teach them to the tributes, so it's nothing outrageous.

"_Allium cernuum_. Edible."

"Er, I don't speak geek." Zayna jokes.

Ever smiles, "Wild onion. We need to find more of these for a meal, but whatever we can scrounge up will work. I hope you and Zeph find water, then we'll have another food source."

Zayna walks about fifteen yards away. "Hey! Yarrow!"

"Yarrow?" Ever abandons her wild onion and dog rose harvest to get a good look at the yarrow.

"Yarrow!" Zayna says excitedly.

"Yarrow. Can be used to-"

"Make teas that treat colds, improve circulation and stop bleeding."

"Yeah."

"Oh! And you can eat it."

Both girls still stare at the yarrow plant in awe. "It's also an insect repellent." Ever says.

"Really?" Zayna asks.

"Yeah."

"Then in that case-" she picks the whole plant. "Ooh, there's more!"

Chaff guffaws, "They look like District 11 during harvest!"

Even Seeder laughs at this one.

"We should bring this stuff back to the others. Then we can continue our search." Ever says, her eyes barely peeking out from the mountain of yarrow in her arms.

"Yeah, good idea." Zayna giggles, as Ever tries to take a few steps forward.

* * *

_Robbie..._

I hear the dreaded anthem of Panem play. I push the curtain of vines that Amity made for our shelter out of the way. I look into the sky, excited to see the faces of the tributes I killed, and hopefully see Ms. Mentor's Pet Abernerdy's face.

First, the face of the boy from Four is cast into the sky. _Hm, how'd _that_ happen?_

Both from 5. Boy from 6. Boy from 7. Both from 8. Boy from 10. Boy from 11.

"Only 8 tributes dead? That's got to be a low record." _No District 12 faces, huh?_

"You got that right." Hollie says, trying to further camouflage our make-shift hideout. Even with Amity's leaf curtain it is very noticeable.

"Who's still alive?" Amity asks, truly not caring.

"Us three, both from 1, the boy from 2, both from 3, girl from 4, girl from 6, both from 9, girl from 11 and girl from 12."

Amity laughs mirthlessly. "That 12-year-old from 12 is still alive? I KNEW I should have just finished her off when I had the chance."

Hollie scoffs, "With what weapon? She took the first flail."

"Snap her neck."

"I like that idea." I say.

"She's your district partner!" Hollie exclaims in shock, but also, with approval.

I shrug. "I don't care for her. She's just Daddy's Useless Princess."

Hollie and Amity nod in approval at my cold-heartedness.

* * *

_Haymitch..._

I can't believe it. Both from 12 survived the first day. Robbie, I knew would survive. But Ever- tiny 12-year-old Ever- survived too.

"Scythe boy creeps me out." Raewyn says.

"You've got that right, girly." Chaff agrees.

Finnick nods.

Raewyn discreetly slips a piece of paper into my hand .

_9 already has more than enough sponsor money. I can give you one sixth of it without being found out. Nod for 'yes,' shake your head for 'later.'_

I nod slowly.

She smiles.

"What's this, secret drug deal, going on?" Finnick jokes.

"Yes, in fact. I am dealing crack/cocaine- the works. You want some?" Raewyn plays along with him.

He laughs. "Chick's alright!"

"Well, I'm taking a nap. Wake me up if anything cool happens." Chaff yawns.

* * *

**Mom's kicking me off. Apparently I have to EAT. Ugh, who needs FOOD when there' FANFICTION! Oh well. Here's today's post.**


	9. A Few Hardships

**A/N: I do not own the Hunger Games **

* * *

**A Few Hardships**

* * *

_Ever..._

Zayna and I return to apartment 2308B and drop off our haul. We go and get one more load. We are gone for about two and a half hours on our second trip, because we put extra effort into finding lots of wild onion.

Before the tribute's faces appear, Zayna and Zephyr go to search for water. Colton is still butchering the meat from the bighorn sheep. I guess the knives the gamemakers put in the backpack aren't the greatest.

My chest tightens as I see the faces of the dead tributes. I was really hoping Neeko Quinley would survive 'till tomorrow. We were two two 12-year-olds. Oh well. These are the Hunger Games. Kids will die. I can be next.

"Come on, Ever. We need to get firewood." Asia says.

"Right." I say softly. We have to make several trips to stock up the amount Zephyr told us. I guess he plans on us camping out her for a few days.

As we leave, I see Zayna start to place the yarrow everywhere. She must really hate insects.

* * *

_Robbie..._

"Amity, I know you're a chick and all, but stop being such a sissy."

"Robbie has a point. You can kill another tributes without even blinking, but you refuse to eat frog legs!"

"It's gross Hollie!" Amity protests.

"Yeah, but it's all we have. Unless one of those deer or bighorns or buffalo are suddenly slow enough for me to axe to death, then we will have to survive on frog legs!"

"Ugh! Fine." Amity takes a bite out of one.

"See? Not bad." I say, polishing off his fifth.

"Are they supposed to taste like chicken?" she asks Hollie and I.

"Uh huh." they say in unison, Hollie grabbing her third and I take a bite out of my seventh.

"I'm gonna go catch more frogs." Hollie says, standing up and leaving.

"Don't break the shelter this time." I tease.

She rolls her eyes, "Boys," and walks out.

Seriously though, she _did _break like, half the shelter when she rammed into it. The shelter was sloppily built at first, but then Amity and I made some improvements. Hollie got all the materials- her and her expert tree knowledge- but Amity and I did the _real _work. The two of us spent a lot of time at the wilderness shelter construction station. We chose to build a debris shelter. Though, even with our improvements, it isn't perfect.

It is still very cold with the night air, and it sorely sticks out. Amity is working on a technique to camouflage it. I have already gathered the materials to build another one in the forest. Hollie thinks we should find a nice crumbling and mildew-infested building, but that's what everyone expects.

* * *

_Ever..._

Zayna and Zephyr return with all the canteens full of water. "Guess what we found?" Zayna says excitedly.

"Water?" I guess.

"A water_fall_! It's amazing, we'll have to go fishing there tomorrow."

"Great! More dietary variety!" Colton says, starting to cook the bighorn sheep in the frying pan. We built the fire in the middle of the living room, which is so covered with dust and sand that we have next to no worries about the fire spreading.

Zephyr places a fist full of a green plant in front of me. "You're our expert in plants, right? Is this edible?"

I examine it and try to remember what the instructor said. "Yes. It's a peppermint plant. An invasive species, brought to this continent hundreds of years ago, but harmless to humans."

Zephyr smiles, "Told you so."

Zayna sticks her tongue out at him. Bread rolls from District 3 fall out of her backpack. "Oh! Those were supposed to be a surprise." she says with a shrug.

I raise my eyebrows. "How'd you two get bread?" I ask suspiciously.

They blush. "Uh, no reason." Zephyr says.

"Yeah, Beetee and Zora are just uh, just nice like that." Zayna adds a nervous laugh.

"Uh huh..." I say slowly, not believing them, but dropping the subject.

Colton and Zephyr prepare dinner- bighorn sheep seasoned with wild onion and yarrow with peppermint tea and District 3 bread. It's okay, but not great. I decide to lie when Colton asks me how it is, "It's great, thank you."

"I'm tired." Zayna announces.

"Yeah, me too." Colton agrees.

Zephyr nods. "Same here. We need to sleep in shifts. Ever and Asia are on the first shift."

"Hey!" we exclaim in unison.

"Eldest ones make the rules!" he teases.

"Whatever. But when we get sleepy, we're waking your lazy butts up!" Asia warns.

"'Kay." say our allies. They are asleep on the couches in minutes.

Asia tosses another log into the fire. She opens up her backpack and pulls out one of the candles and a match. She lits the candle and places it far away from the fire. "That's for when we need to move. You can have the bed if you want."

I laugh. "The bed? It's mostly just a mess of springs."

"Yeah, but have to tried laying on it? As long as you lie still, it's kinda comfy."

"Well, you can have it." I say.

"We can always share. My sister and I do at home."

"Yeah, we can share...you share with Lissana?"

Asia shakes her head. "Tarmac. My younger sister."

I am silent. _Sisters..._

"You have siblings?"

"Only child."

"That sucks."

"Actually, I kind of like it."

Asia shrugs, "I guess it wouldn't be that bad."

I yawn.

"Go to sleep."

"Huh?"

"Go to sleep. I'll wake you up in a few hours so you can finish the shift."

I yawn again, "Are you sure?"

She points to the single bedroom sternly. "Okay, okay, okay."

I try to get comfortable on the exposed springs but after a few minutes of tossing and turning, I opt to sleep on the floor instead.

* * *

_Haymitch..._

Soon after Chaff falls asleep, Finnick does too. Raewyn is also quick to fall asleep. Soon, it's just Seeder, the mentors from 1 and 2, Zora Corg from 3, Cecelia from 8, plus a few victors who came to watch the Games for the fun of it.

Despicable.

I yawn, then slap myself as hard I can in the face. "OW!"

"What are you slapping yourself for, stupid?" Seeder asks.

I place my hand over the red mark on the side of my face. "I'm trying to stay awake."

"You go to sleep, Haymitch."

"But-"

"I'll stay up and watch tonight. I'm not tired just yet."

"But I have to make sure-"

"Haymitch, she'll be fine for tonight. I promise, in the morning you'll be able to stay up and watch the whole thing. For now, just go to sleep."

"Okay, _mom_." I mock, moving over to one of the rows of benches in the victor's room. At least they have cushions. Sure, we could all go to our hotel rooms if we _wanted _to, but it's usually much easier to stay here every year and sleep. Usually, I'd go to Twelve's floor in the training center, but since my tributes actually made it past the first day this year, I figure I should stay.

"I'd kick myself if my kid was like you."

I smirk, and that's the last thing I remember before violently being shaken awake.

"Thanks for kicking me, man!" Chaff says coolly, curled up in a ball like a contortionist.

"I didn't kick you! Did I?"

"Yeah," Raewyn smirks, "You kicked Chaff _and _Finnick. In the...well, let's just say that I was the only thing stopping them from ro-sham-bo -ing you. At the same time; though, I kind of regret it. It would have been much more entertaining to wake you that way than by me shaking you."

"You know, you kind of remind me of an annoying puppy. I want to kick you, but I just can't."

"You obviously had no problem kicking _us_." Finnick says, nodding at Chaff.

"Er, sorry about that. Nightmares I guess."

* * *

_Ever..._

Asia never wakes me up for my shift. Instead, Zayna wakes me up when the sun begins to rise. "Come on, Zeph wants us to go fishing."

"Mm kay." I say sleepily, closing my eyes again.

"Now."

"Oh, okay. Just give me a minute." I fall back asleep. "OUCH!" I exclaim as something sharp touches the bottom of my foot.

Zayna shows me Colton's needle which now has a scarlet-colored point.

"You stabbed me!"

"Well yeah. I tried sitting on you, but that didn't work."

I take the nearest knife and slice off part of the ratty jeans. I tie it around my foot.

"That's the worst makeshift bandage I've ever seen." Zayna says, retying it.

I follow her out of apartment 2308B and through the rest of the ruined city. "How far away is the waterfall anyway?"

"Oh, it's a good distance. Getting there is the easy part. Fishing will be difficult."

I shrug. "How hard can it be?"

"With no poles, no line, no bait and makeshift hooks?"

"We can make a fishing pole out of a branch. That's how the boy from 4 stayed alive last year."

"Yeah, but his sponsor's sent him some fishing line. We don't even have thread and I don't know what vines are good enough."

"You never know until you try." I say, cutting free some vines with the pocket knife.

Zayna tries to reach a branch above her head, but can't. "I'm going to pick you up, and you need to break off that branch, okay?"

"Why?" I ask.

"I spent some extra time talking to the guy at the fishing hook station. He told me exactly how to make fishing poles from branches. That's the perfect branch."

"Oh okay. Up we go, then." I say. Zayna lifts me easily. "A little higher- got it!" I break off the branch and throw it to the ground.

"Can you reach that one above where the other was?"

I look down and tell her that I can, but she needs to take a few steps to the left-no, the other left- okay, yeah, the first left was right.

* * *

_Haymitch..._

The tributes this year are very resourceful.

The group of careers- both from 1, the boy from 2 and the girl form 4- find the ruins of a hospital. It has old medical supplies in it. I'm not sure if medicine can go bad or not, but if it can it probably has. Despite the (possible) fact that the medicine was useless, they were able to find a way to stop the bleeding in the blonde from District 1's hand. That is very surprising, considering Hollie Stern axed it off! Finnick is very right about the gril from 4, though. Taya Scout is as dim-witted as it gets. The boy with the scythe is absolutely terrifying, and the boy from 1 isn't exactly a teddy bear either. With knives that were obviously placed in the weapon pile specifically for him, he killed the 12 year old boy from District 5 _and _the 13 year old boy from 8. He more than killed them. He destroyed them.

Robbie and the two girls he allied with are doing pretty well, though, the redheaded girl from 2 spends pretty much all of her time making 'leaf curtains' to hide their flimsy shelter. Really, finding the ruins of a building would be better, I mean come on!

The girl from 6 works alone. She discovered an old fire station and has a pretty nice set up. I doubt she will stray too far until the gamemakers decide that the Games are going too slow. Unless of course she decides to on a little excursion.

The mega-alliance- as the victors have decided to call it- are still holed up inside apartment 2308B. Even Brutus, Gunther and Crayon admit that the five of them have a good system worked out. Sleeping in shifts; going out to find food, water, and firewood in pairs; sharing the contents of their backpacks- not even the Careers bother to come up with that.

The blonde from 10 really doesn't do much of anything. She eats wild plants, but that's about it. She sometimes crawls inside- not behind, _inside _-a bush to take naps, or sometimes she climbs a tree. Once, she stopped to have a snack inside an old drainage pipe. I guess hiding all the time _is _a good strategy, but it won't work for long.

The victors and mentors get to see everything that happens, and not just the view that the Capitol thinks is the most interesting; even so, it is obvious that the Capitol decides to focus on Zayna and Ever's fishing attempts. The cameras near them keep zooming in and re-focusing. They can't seem to catch anything, so finally, Ever crouches down as close as she can to the water and stabs a fish with a knife. "Ha! Got one. These little effers are starting to 'P' me off!" Except, she actually swore.

"Did you just curse?" Zayna asks.

"Yeah, that's so hard to believe?"

"Well...well yeah! You just look so sweet and innocent then all of the sudden- 'F EFity F F F!" Only, she also _actually_ swore...very loudly.

Chaff and Finnick fall backwards with laughter. "Oh my gosh, Haymitch. Oh my gosh. You got any sponsor money yet?" Finnick asks.

Raewyn winks.

"Yes." I say. Which isn't a lie, because Robbie has two sponsors and ever had one. We also have a fourth who equally sponsors them both. Plus the money Raewyn snuk me.

"Good. Just please, please send them some thread or fishing line, and bait! Watching them epically fail at fishing is just so sad!" Finnick commands between laughs.

I see how much everything is.

**Fishing line...$89.00**

Wow.

A little further down the list:

**Spool of thread...$67.00**

Hm. I have enough to send them two rolls of fishing line. BUT that would drain us of most of what we've got. AND Ever is still without her best weapon, which I intend to send her eventually. NOT TO MENTION that the cost to send things to tributes increases at least once or twice a day. IF I SPEND all that money on fishing line, then the chances of me getting enough money in time to send her a bow and arrow set are close to nothing. PLUS the fact that I have to have enough money to send Robbie things too, because it I don't, then the fact that I'm playing favorites will be obvious. SO, one spool of thread it is.

I look at the list of food items.

**District 12 bread...$5.00 (2 loaves)**

12 bread is nasty, but it's the only kind I am allowed to send her, other than:

**Capitol bread...$27.50 (1 loaf)**

A spool of thread and two loaves of 12 bread it is. Maybe she can coax her allies into eating that nastiness we call bread. I catch a glimpse of Beetee and Zora Corg from 3 looking over the list of items and prices, too. Maybe they'll send more bread.

Nah, I think they'll wait 'till Zayna and Zephyr makes out by the waterfall again. That's what I'd do.

* * *

_Ever..._

A silver parachute glides right towards me. I let it fall to the ground because my hands are covered in rainbow trout blood.

Zayna opens it. "Thread and 2 loaves of bread. I'm guessing by the looks of it, this is for you."

I rinse my bloody hands off in the water. "Guess so. At least he sent the thread for fishing. I think the mentors saw our failed attempts after all, eh?"

She giggles. "Guess so. Here, let me tr- huh?"

Another parachute follows shortly after. "I think this one is for you." I tell her as if hits the ground.

"You open it. I opened yours."

I peek inside. Two loaves of District 3 bread, safety pins and paperclips. "Yep, it had stuff to make fishing hooks and bread from 3."

"Yeah, it's mine, then." she take the parachute and immediately gets to work on making some hooks.

I start attaching some of the thread to the 'fishing poles.'

_Smack! _"Ouch!" Zayna exclaims, wiping her hand on the leg of her jeans.

"Why'd you slap yourself?"

"Ugh, because. These stupid butterflies. they _bite_."

"Butterflies don't- OW!" I scream. A sharp, pinching pain appears on my cheek.

Zayna smacks it.

"Hey!"

"It was one of the butterflies! Gah!" she crushes one that is on her neck.

"Maybe we should find another spot."

"Yeah, sounds great." _Smack! Smack! Smack! _She kills three of those buterflies.

I find a small yarrow plant. "Try this." I say.

She sticks a piece behind her ear and shoves some in the pockets of her jeans.

"Er, I know the safety pins are for hooks, but we can sacrifice one. Pin some to your shirt."

She obeys, but questions why this could work.

"Butterflies are insects." I say.

"Oh, right. AH!" Butterflies swarm us. "I think they like this stuff!" she says.

"Quick! Jump in the water!"

She jumps in, the butterflies not following after. "That. Was. Creepy." Zayna says, walking out of the water.

"Agreed."

"Hey, why are there two of you? And why do you both have purple skin?"

"Zayna, what are you-"

"Oooh look! I found bigfoot. Bigfoot, hey! We're over here!"

"Zayna, there's no such thing as bigfoot. And even there were, it's not he-"

"Listen to me you big pile of neon fur!"

I frantically look around, trying to find some way to help her. I do the only thing I can think of, which is push her back into the water.

"Whee! Ever, look at the mermaids! I thought those were only in fairytales."

"Yeah, okay. Mermaids!" Then I turn my back to the water. "Mermaids. She thinks she sees mermaids!"

"Whee!" Zayna splashes in the water like a child.

"Didn't want to have to do this, but..." I take the biggest fallen tree limb I can find and hit her over the head with it. I pull her out of the water and put her down on the grass. I hide the fishing poles and hooks in the bushes, then stuff the bread, thread and leftover hook materials into my backpack. "Come on, Zayna. Let's go." She is surprisingly light for someone as tall as she is. Even so, I can't carry her the whole way. I begin sort of dragging her toward the end of the trip. "Hey, losers! Come down here and help me out!" I shout.

Asia sticks her head through the vine-covered window first. "Hel_lo_! How'd Zayna get all incapacitated?" she asks, climbing down on the vines.

"I whacked her in the head with a tree branch." I say, just as Colton stick his head out the window.

"Now why'd you do that?"

"She was swimming with mermaids." I answer as Asia's feet touch the ground.

"Mermaids don't exist." he says.

"Try telling Zayna that. Er, she's too heavy for me to carry up the stairs. Can you call Zeph down for this?"

"Be right back." Colton goes to get him.

Zephyr is down in less than ten seconds. He picks Zayna up and carries her inside. I follow Asia back up the vines. Might as well have fun, right?

"You didn't kill her, did you?" Colton asks.

I shake my head. "There would have been a cannon. Plus, there's a pulse."

Zephyr checks for a pulse anyway. "Steady."

"So what exactly happened?" Asia asks.

I tell them the whole story of how Zayna turned into a drunk/morphling addict merged into one.

"It's the butterflies." Colton decides.

"The what?"

"Butterflies. She went loony after she was attacked by the butterflies."

"They're mutts." Zephyr concludes slowly.

"Yeah...butterfly mutts. That's a new one." Colton agrees.

"Huh? What?" Zayna says, slowly coming to. "What just happened? I'm all swelly. Did the butterflies really leave marks? Ah, my head."

Asia, Colton and Zephyr all turn to look at me. I look away innocently.

"What happened? The last thing I remember is jumping into the lake after getting attacked by those butterflies."

"Oh, so you don't remember Ever knocking you out with a branch?"

"How'd we end up back here?"

"I uh, I dragged you."

"Well no wonder my head hurts...hey, those green birdies are pretty." Zayna points to the kitchen.

"There's no birds." I sat slowly.

"Yeah huh! They're green, and they have little red beaks. Kinda creepy act-" she falls to the ground, out cold.

"Asia!" the guys yell in unison.

Asia promptly drops the frying pan. "What?"

"You hit her in the head? _With a frying pan_?"

"Well, yeah Zeph! What else could I do? She's hallucinating again!"

"Odd. You'd think the effects would have worn off by now...does anyone have any idea about what will cure it?" Colton asks. "Whoa!" A parachute drops through the hole in the ceiling. In it, is two loaves of District 9 bread, a tube of ointment, a small amount of blueberries and a coffee mug.

"What-"

"Sh." Colton cuts Asia off. He goes into the kitchen and opens up the oven. He pulls out all of the food we have so far and brings it into the living room. "Dog rose. Wild Onion. Peppermint leaves. Yarrow. Bread. Two tomatoes. Orange. Blueberries." He puts some water in the frying pan to boil. Maybe a pot would be better, but a frying pan is all we've got. He tosses to ointment to Zephyr. "Put that on her swelling."

Zephyr blushes. "Er, okay."

I roll my eyes. "You pervert. All the swelling is on her face, and there's like, one on her neck and three or so on her arm."

He blushes some more.

Colton makes a (pretty disgusting) mixture of peppermint, yarrow and blueberries. When Zayna comes to again, he forces her to drink it before she can utter a word.

She spits it out all over his face. "That's disgusting!"

He forces more of the drink down her throat. "It might help!"

She spits it out again. "Help with what?"

"The butterfly mutt bites!"

"Oh then in that case, hand it over!" She plugs her nose and takes a big gulp.

"Drink all of it."

"Ugh, fine." she chugs it. "Blech! Nasty."

"Feeling better?"

"Maybe, I don't know. I'm still trying to forget the horrible taste. Gosh, did you pee in that or something?"

Zephyr laughs, "She's fine, if she's making comments like that."

At the end of the day, we stare into the sky, waiting for faces to appear. Nobody died today.

Oh no.

The gamemakers will be bored.

* * *

**What to expect next chapter:**

Title- Through the Fire and the Flames

_The** real** peril beings..._

_One of our five favorite tributes will die..._

_The gamemakers get bored, and that's NEVER a good sign..._


	10. Through the Fire and the Flames

**A/N: I do not own the Hunger Games**

**A/N2: This chapter is kinda slow-moving, I'm just trying to tie everyone I need to into this, so...yeah.**

* * *

**Through the Fire and the Flames**

* * *

_The next day..._

_5:00 P.M._

_Haymitch..._

Chaff swears loudly and takes a large sip from a newly opened wine bottle. The gamemakers have gone too far this time.

"Did you SEE that! Hell!" Raewyn shouts. She looks as if she is going to faint.

My face has to be drained of color. That was disgusting, absolutely disgusting. Worse deaths I've ever seen.

Some of the younger victors with weaker stomachs (Zora from 3, Jemima and Truly from 4) are getting sick, and I don't blame them. The only thing keeping me from throwing up too is the fact that I haven't had anything to eat or drink all day. I turn around to talk to Finnick, but then I remember that he went to sit with Johanna and some of the Career mentors.

"Please tell me that that child was _not _just incinerated." comes Seeder's voice, muffled by her hands.

_I wish I could._

Shoot, did they show that footage on air? I hope not. How many people in the districts will have nightmares tonight because of what just happened. I should have eaten today. _Oh, here come the dry heaves. _

"Why! Why! Why! Why!" another victor in the room shouts. I don't care to think about who it is.

Well well well, it looks like not only did the Capitol _get _the footage, they are now replaying it for those who _missed _it. Ho_w _wonderful. Though I don't want to, I watch today's footage all over again:

Everyone seems to wake up early this morning. The sun isn't even in the sky yet.

It starts with the Career pack waking up and starting their hunt for tributes to kill. They quickly find the blonde girl from 10, but she uses her boomerang to knock out the girl from 4 and get away.

Then the cameras move to apartment 2308B. They all mutually decide to stay there today unless they have to move.

The cameras glance over all the loners.

Lastly, they move to Robbie, Amity and Hollie. They are still in that terrible shelter of theirs.

It's a very slow day, not even the careers seem to find anybody to kill. That's good for the tributes, but bad for the capitol. At this point earlier today, I checked District 12's sponsor money.

**Bow and arrow set...$1899**

Amount of sponsor money...$1294.

Still not enough for Ever's bow and arrow set. Then, I turned my full attention back to the screen.

"Are you still crazy?" Ever asks Zayna.

"No, looks like Colton's pee-tea worked after all." she replies with a smile.

Colton rolls his eyes and takes a slice of orange.

Ever begins to sniff the air. "Do you guys smell that?"

"Smell what?" Zayna and Colton ask in unison, sniffing the air too.

"I don't smell anything." Zayna concludes.

Asia and Zephyr also begin to sniff. "We smell it."

"I don't- wait, yeah." Colton sniffs once more. "Keep sniffing, Zayna. It doesn't smell weird at first, but if you wait a second-"

"UGH! What is that? It's like really amazing perfume meets death!" She hold her nose closed.

"See, told you." Ever says.

Asia tiptoes to the window. "Uh..guys? Look." she tears the vines away from one of the windows. A thick, sickening fog is waiting outside for them."

_Thud! _Ever suddenly falls.

I bite my lip, waiting for the cannon.

It never appears, instead, another loud blast is heard.

* * *

_Robbie..._

"Come on, let's ditch this shelter and find a building." Hollie says.

For once, Amity and I side with her. We leave some of our stuff at the shelter, in hopes of tricking others into thinking we are coming back.

Amity starts sniffing the air. "What's that smell?"

I sniff too. "I smell it too. What about you Hollie?"

She nods. "It's...strange. Like, it smells like fresh fruit, so you want to keeping smelling it, but then it starts to smell terrible...do either of you feel dizzy?"

Amity and I say that we feel fine.

"That might be what the smell is supposed to do. It's working on you. You're the smallest of the three of us." I say.

Hollie nods slowly and stuffs her mouth and nose inside her backpack.

* * *

_Trendy Twilight, District 1, Career pack..._

City is carrying me on his back when I come to. Stupid girl with the boomerang. "City?" I breathe.

"Yeah, Tren?"

"Where are we?"

"Well, we're headed back toward the cornucopia. The other tributes have to get back toward there for the feast later. Why not wait and catch them off guard?"

"That's a good idea..." I say airily.

City doesn't ask me to walk on my own and I am grateful for that.

_BOOOM! _

I scream in City's ear when I hear it. It's too loud to be a cannon for a tribute's death. I smell smoke. A fire. Not a campfire, or a forest fire, either. I sniff again. I smell...I smell propane? A gas fire? What kind of arena _is _this? "City, what's going on!" I shriek.

"I don't know!" he answers.

City Ballantine...my best friend since we were in diapers. It's a shame we are in the games together. We could have been just so much more. I hold on to his back tighter as he begins to run, following Taya from 4 and Slate from 2. I hear a branch fall from a tree. A flaming branch. Taya's hair catches fire and that's that. I cover my ears because even someone as cold as me cannot stand the screaming. "SOMEONE DO SOMETHING!" I shout. Sure, Taya and I despise each other, but not even someone as dumb and annoying as her deserves to die that way. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Slate make on quick motion with his scythe, killing Taya before the flames can. "Thank you." I mouth to him.

"My...pleasure." he says slowly.

Weird...

"I sense someone." Slate throws his scythe in the direction where he thought he sensed the person.

* * *

_Tigerlily Corbin, District 6..._

I leave my fire station hideout to go hunting.

No, not for people.

For animals. I can't survive on dandelions forever, you know.

_BOOOOM!_

The blast comes from from not even a mile away. It is so big that I am knocked off my feet and thrown at least two hundred feet. "AH!" I scream, landing on my spear-throwing arm, breaking it. The pain is unbearable. I force myself to stand up and start walking. Where? I don't know. I just start walking.

* * *

_Asia Hedvigg..._

Zayna, Zephyr, Colton and I pour cold water on Ever in an effort to wake her up. It doesn't work, so Zephyr checks for a pulse and says that he found a steady, healthy pulse. He searches for the needle that came with Colton's backpack. He pokes her in the bottom of the foot, much like Zayna did the other day to wake her up. "OW! SON OF A B-"

"Language, kid." Zeph warns.

"Oh, thank God your okay. We were freaking out." Zayna says.

Colton clears his throat. "Hate to break up this happy reunion, but the whole arena is kind of on fire. We need to move. _Now_."

We all stuff our backpacks with as much as we can carry. I look at Ever, carrying nothing but a tiny backpack and a blowgun. I bite my lip. "Give me the blowgun. Take my bow and arrow."

She is stunned, "But Asia, you got to it first."

"I know, but I'm a faster runner than you. We climb trees like a monkey but I'm like a monkey on steroids. You need it more than I do." I readily hold out the bow and quiver full of arrows.

Ever reluctantly reaches for it and hands over the blowgun.

"There. Now I'm not so worried."

The five of us hurry out of apartment 2308B for the last time.

* * *

_Ever..._

Though I would never say this to Asia, I am happy that she gave me her bow and arrows. I now have the weapon that I am most confident with using.

"What caused the fire?" I shout.

"No clue!" Zephyr answers.

"Where are we going?" Asia asks.

"Just keep running!" Colton tells us.

I scream at the top of my lungs as a tree falls right in front of us, igniting several bushes and shrubs on the ground. The fire spreads quickly. A stray ember lands behind us, igniting the dead leaves and living vegetation immediately. I angrily look up at the clouds of smoke, hovering over us. "Is this really how it will end! GUH!" I throw a knife as hard as I can into the flames, knowing it will do nothing.

"Ever! Stay calm!" Colton says.

"STAY CALM! WE'RE ALL ABOUT TO BE BURNT TO DEATH AND YOU WANT ME TO CALM DOWN!"

"We're not going to get burnt up! The flames in front of us are thin."

"What are you saying!"

"We can run through them!"

"WHAT!" all four of us shriek.

"Well, yeah. Who wants to go first?" he asks.

"I think the person who's idea it was should go first."

"Okay." he shrugs. He runs fearlessly into the flames, head first. "Whoa!" I hear him exclaim. I hear him throw his body onto the ground. "Come on!" he shouts.

Zayna goes next, just as fearlessly as Colton. "Whoo!" I take it she made it.

Zephyr follows Zayna. I hear no cheering or screaming, so I guess he made it.

It is now just Asia and myself standing there, almost completely surrounded by fire. It's just like a nightmare I used to always have as a small child.

-Flashback-

_It's dark. Very dark. There is nothing but a tiny light flickering. A closet look shows that it is a candle. I pick up the candle, only to find out that it is now a flaming torch. I can see the whole room now. Actually, it's more like a cave. The walls are cold, very cold. With closer investigation, I find that there is a large, scaly monster. It is snoring loudly, which makes me giggle. The beast wakes up and looks at me. It is a dragon. I am in a dragon's cave. I throw my tiny hands in front of my face. Mind you, I am six years old here. _

_When I discover that I am not being barbecued by the dragon, I lower my arms. The dragon has extended one of it's legs to me. I begin to whimper, still afraid. "Hush child, don't say a word." I hear screams from further back in the cave. "Never mind those sounds, dear. Those are just the bats." Agaisnt my better judgement, I trust the dragon. Again, mind you, I am six and my judgement is terrible._

_"Why don't we play a game, little girl?"_

_"Okay, Dragon. What's it called?"_

_"Um, it is called Luck Runs Out."_

_"Oooh sounds spooky...what's it about?"_

_"You'll find out. First, I need you to take off your shoes."_

_"Why?"_

_"So you don't run too far." the dragon says simply._

_I do not question him further._

_"Sit in the fire pit. On top of the giant grill."_

_I do what he says."What now?" __He breathes fire on large coals. They ignite and instantly warm my tiny, cold feet. The warmth feels nice, welcoming, safe. Suddenly, I realize what it happening. "You're cooking me!" I accuse._

_He smiles evilly, his sharp teeth striking more fear into my heart than the flaming coals can. "What else could I do with a little girl like you?"_

_I scream and jump off the dragon's grill, just before the flames would have swallowed me up. I run as fast as I can, not caring about my lack of shoes._

_The dragon breathes more fire, keeping me from moving forward._

_I decide to try running underneath him and hiding in the back of the cave, but he reads my mind and breathes fire in that direction too. The dragon disappears into thin air, but the fire doesn't. It gets closer...and closer...and closer...closer still...I begin to sweat, the flame are so close. I am now surrounded by fire. Dragon Fire. The Dragon Fire Dream was the name of it._

_Right before the flames can engulf me, I always wake up:_

_"No! Help me help me! I want to go home! Daddy!"_

_Daddy always rushes into my room, drunk, sober or hungover and comforts me. _

-End flashback-

This situation is just like the Dragon Fire Dream.

Exactly like it.

Except, it is completely different.

The Dragon Fire Dream was just that...a dream. I could endure that terrible dream as long as I held onto the fact that when I woke up, Daddy would come rushing in the room to give me a hug and stay until I fell back asleep.

This on the other hand, is completely real. Daddy will not come running to save me from the dragon. I am on my own this time.

"Ever!"

"EV-ER COME ON!"

"Kid, get outta there!"

"Hurry! They're getting too thick to run through!"

The voices of my four allies distracts me from my thoughts.

I back up a few steps, then freely and fearlessly run through the flames. Amazing. That is how running through fire feels. It hurt, yes, but first, it tickled. I owe my bravery to Cinna. If I hadn't worn that chariot costume, I would have burnt to death just now.

"Oh thank you!" Asia says when she sees me. "We thought you were a goner."

"Yep." the guys say.

Zayna hugs me. "When I saw Asia run through the flames and your weren't on her heels-" she abruptly stops talking and kisses my cheek, much like a moth- much like an older sister would.

I begin coughing and don't stop for what feels like forever. "I'm fine. I just inhaled some smoke." I assure my friends.

Colton hands me his canteen.

A blood-curdling scream reaches my ears before the water can reach my lips. I drop the canteen and Colton picks it back up in one quick motion. He attaches it the my jeans.

"SOMEONE DO SOMETHING!" A second voice screams.

_Boom! _A cannon. A tribute has just died.

The blood-curdling screaming stops.

It all happens so fast. One second Colton is attaching a canteen of water to my jeans and the next... a scythe flies at us from the direction of the screaming, hitting Colton in the stomach. "Huh!" Colton's hand lets go of the canteen that he just finished securing. He falls to the ground, his body severed by the scythe. _Boom! _A canon goes off.

I sink to the ground. I can't stand up anymore. I know who threw the scythe. His thirst for blood is unfathomable. He will kill the rest of next. I realize that he is not alone. The blood-curdling scream was either Taya Scout of Trendy Twilight. One of them is now dead. The other is still alive. So is City Ballantine. Three Careers vs. the four of us.

The odds are _not _in our favor.

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The odds will _never _be in our favor.

* * *

**A/N: Songs that inspired this chapter:**

Through the Fire and the Flames- DragonForce

Enter Sandman- Metallica

All Nightmare Long- Metallica


	11. Fear

A/N: I do not own the Hunger Games

A/N2: I've been meaning to do this for a while and finally got around to it. So...

**Thank you to:**

**Call Me Bitter**

**FlitterCherub **

**Girl On Fire Lillibet Norris**

**hungergamesforever123**

**crescentrose22 **

**NewProphecy **

**MarayaBadica**

**klhansen22 **

**M-x-M**

and two anonymous reviewers: **ILOVETARARIEGAN **& **penguin569**

for your dedicated reviews! I really do appreciate them!

* * *

**Fear**

* * *

_Fear of death_  
_Fear of life_  
_Fear of truth_  
_Fear can bite_  
_Fear devours_  
_Trust at sight_  
_Fear turns logic_  
_Into spite_  
_Fear even doth _  
_Turn light to night_  
_When it upon_  
_Your shoulder lights_  
_Fear twists_  
_Fear kills_  
_Fear is the cause_  
_Of most world ills_  
_Love chase fear away_  
_When fear gone_  
_All just peace_

_One Day _

~Egal Bohen

* * *

_Ever..._

The Games are over. At least they _should _be. The Capitol got what they wanted.

Death.

They wanted death, didn't they? Colton is dead, his body severed by the scythe. That's exactly the Capitol's idea of 'good, clean fun' isn't it? Colton is dead. The Games should be over. If they're over, then why are we still here?

Oh, that's right. The Capitol cannot be satisfied with the just _one _gruesome death. They want 23.

23 deaths and 1 victor. Though, if you're around the victors enough, you soon learn that nobody _really _wins the Hunger Games. They follow your everywhere, for the rest of your life. The faces of the children you killed accusingly haunt your nightmares. I've heard my father violently scream himself awake several times. Worried, I would wake him up and try to comfort him like he did for me after the Dragon Fire Dream. But telling him it was just a dream never helped, because he and I both knew it wasn't. No wonder Chaff and Daddy took to the bottle. No wonder the other people start doing morphling. It all makes sense now.

"If you're going to kill us, then just do it." Asia says harshly, bravely, fearlessly.

A male chuckles. "You really think I'm just going to kill all of you so soon?"

I swallow.

He chuckles again, running his fingers over the blade of his scythe. "Now, if I just go around killing everybody at once, where's the entertainment and the pleasure in that?"

I take a step backwards, and trip. "Oof!"

Slate notices me. "Oh, it's _you _again." His scythe slowly moves closer to me. It touches my neck, but doesn't cut me.

"Kill me. Go ahead."

Slate laughs mirthlessly. "No, I don't think I will. Killing someone as weak and helpless as you would be no fun. A challenge. That's what I like, a challenge. _You _District 12, are a little weakling. I'm just going to bet that the arena will kill you instead of another tribute. So why should I waste my time?"

Zayna furiously shoots and arrow at Slate. It lodges itself in his shoulder. The pain makes him wince, but he quickly breaks the arrow. City pulls out his knives and runs toward Zayna. Trendy- City's district partner- doesn't do anything. Why can't she just use her two-handed sword? I look down and see that she only has one hand to use. Someone must have chopped it off at the Cornucopia.

Despite her missing hand, she charges at me with a knife. I can hold her off until Zephyr or Zayna or Asia kills her. I kick her in the gut, knocking the wind out of her for a moment. She quickly recovers however, and charges at me with more rage. I jump toward her, holding onto her neck. I use one of my arms to grab the knife from her. I throw it as far away from us as possible. I proceed to punch her in the face until her nose breaks and her two front teeth are knocked out. The finally throws me off of her and pulls out a second knife.

I realize now that nobody is going to kill her for me. I now realize that I have to become the thing I dread the most.

A killer.

With this realization, I manage to kick Trendy a few times so she would stay down for a little while. As she struggles to get up, I aim an arrow right at her heart. A quick kill. Hopefully she won't feel much. I miss and the arrow gets stuck in her neck instead.

In her jugular. _Boom!_

She is dead.

"TRENDY!" City screams, abandoning his fight with Zayna and heading right for me, for the kill. I try to set up my bow and arrow fast enough, but more smoke creeps into my lungs. I begin coughing, and when I stop, City is so close to killing me that I cannot set up my bow and arrow fast enough. Zephyr, Zayna and Asia are now all preoccupied with Slate to be able to help. In desperation, I throw a knife at him.

* * *

_Haymitch..._

My mouth drops open as the scythe cuts the boy from 9 in half, "did you _see _that!" Chaff is swearing so loud that you could hear him in District 12. Seeder is scolding him for his language while Finnick stares is disbelief at the screen. Raewyn is silent, her hands placed over her mouth, eyes closed. I wonder what it's like for her, getting attached to tributes year after year after year. I closed myself off after the third year of mentoring. Raewyn obviously hasn't. I give her an awkward side hug, knowing that more Haymitch/Raewyn teasing would come out of it.

"That was disgusting." she whispers as three tributes walk out of the bushes.

It's the boy from 2 and both from 1. Hm, missing-hand-girl is still alive. Raewyn's girl tribute calmly says to them, "If you're going to kill us, then just do it."

The boy from 2 goes on about how weak she and Ever are and how he wouldn't want to waste his time killing them. Finally, the 18 year old girl from 3 has had enough, so she shoots and arrow at he boy. That sets off the three Careers. The boys team up against the girl who shot the arrow. The boy from 3 and the girl from 9 help her. Ever notices that the girl from 1 has a missing hand. the gril sees her looking and pulls out a knife, ready to kill her. Ever does a great job kicking and punching her.

It soon becomes clear that not even breaking her nose and knocking out her teeth will stop her. Ever pulls and arrow out of the quiver and points it at the girl. She sees this, but doesn't stop. She greatly under estimates the 12 year old girl from District 12.

She pulls the sting back a little further and allows the Career girl to get a little closer to her before she pulls the string. The look in her eye shows a she didn't hit what she aiming for, though she hit the girl's jugular, killing her.

"TRENDY!" the boy from 1 screams.

Why do they always have to have such dumb names?

The boy stops fighting with the other three and is now running right towards Ever. He is too fast for her. She can't get an arrow ready in time. This is it for her, then.

I close my eyes and prepare myself for the cannon that will signify her death.

_Boom!_

I hear the four people around me breathe a sigh of relief. I get ready to knock them all out, but I take a peek at the screen. Ever is standing up, a knife buried deep into the boy's abdomen. He is dead.

Good, my daughter is still alive. Then I start thinking. She's alive, but at the expense of what?

She never wanted to become a killer but that's just what she had to become. Someone else's daughter is dead, along with someone else's son. Those two Careers probably had siblings too, most of them do. I think Ever is thinking what I'm thinking, judging by how she is acting.

* * *

_Ever..._

___Boom!_

City Ballantine is dead.

Slate stops fighting with Zayna, Zephyr and Asia.

The full reality of what I just did finally hits me. I have killed two people in a selfish effort to spare my own life. I've killed two people who probably had more worth than me. I killed someone's daughter, sis, granddaughter, friend...someone's son, brother, grandson, friend...killed them. It's all not me.

"Well, well, well. Looks like you _can _defend yourself." Slate says, walking over to me, scythe at the ready.

"Go ahead. Do it."

"Hm?"

"Do it! Kill me! I killed your friends, you have the right."

Slate laughs heartlessly. "They weren't my friends. Just a strategic move in these games. I was going to kill them in their sleep eventually, anyway. You did me a favor, actually. And I always-" he moves the scythe to where the blade touches my chest. "-repay my favors."

"Leave her alone! Can't you see that she's terrified!" Zayna screams, punching him in the back of the head. He isn't phased by her attack. He ignores her.

"So...I'll let you live. For now. Next time we meet, you won't be so lucky." Slate wanders off.

Zayna prepares to shoot an arrow into his back.

"No. Let him go."

"But-"

"Let. Him. Go. Please." I say, still on the ground.

"Fine." Zayna says slowly, helping me up.

"How can you guys stand to look at me!" I scream.

"What do you mean?" Zephyr asks.

"I killed two people!"

"In self-defense. They would have killed you."

"Yeah, but i still killed them! Murder is murder either way you look at it!"

Zayna brushes the hair out of my face. "Ever, calm down. Listen, you killed them because you had to. Remember at the Cornucopia when I killed that boy? You guys didn't start hating me just because I killed someone, and we're not about to start hating you."

I nod slowly. "Okay."

"Better?"

"Much." I take a deep breath. "I think we should say something about Colton." I say.

"That's a good idea." Asia agrees.

Zephyr and Zayna nod.

We all join hands and Asia starts. "He was a good person." She seems unaffected by his death.

Zephyr goes next. "He was very smart. Probably would have won."

Zayna goes next, "Yeah...what Zeph said..."

I open my mouth to speak, but can't. It's my fault. The scythe would have killed me if he hadn't been standing there tying the canteen to my jeans. "He was very nice, a cared a lot about people." I finally say. We keep our eyes closed for a few more seconds before continuing on. Smoke still pours the air.

"Did anybody bother to grab Colton's backpack?" Zephyr asks as the hovercrafts come to pick him, City and Trendy up.

Asia holds up the black backpack that Colton grabbed from the Cornucopia. "He'd want us to use what's in it to stay alive. Don't you think?"

The rest of us nod as Asia empties the contents of her backpack and stuffs them in Colton's. She tosses her backpack into the flames. "Let's get going." she says apathetically.

We continue walking through the burning forest and ruins. "How did the fire start?" I ask Zephyr after a while. Colton wore the brains in this little confederacy. Now, it is Zephyr.

He shakes his head, "I really don't know."

"I think I have an idea." Zayna says.

"Let's hear it!" Zephyr says, jumping over a fallen flaming branch.

"Well, since we're in the ruins of some sort of town or city, there was likely some sort of gas line. Some propane or something could have been left over and leaked. Someone's fire could have triggered it. _Or _if this arena is completely of Gamemaker creation- which, it most likely is- then maybe something about the fog and a campfire triggered the massive wildfire."

"I think...a more likely explanation would be a combination of both of those scenarios, plus a little more on the Gamemakers's part. They probably started a fire because the Games were going to slow." Asia adds.

"But we're only 3 days into them!" I protest.

"True, but maybe everybody was doing what we were. Staying holed up in a building or shelter until something happens. If this fire didn't start, then-"

"YAH!" A girl who looks about 14 charges at us with a spear. Elina Herb of District 11. _Chaff's mentoring her this year...I don't want to kill her._

And I don't.

Zayna shoots her in the leg with an arrow, obviously not feeling like killing her, either. "What the heck are you doing?"

Elina rips the arrow out of her leg and though she is in pain, she charges at me with that spear of hers. "You killed those Careers! I saw it!"

Oh, I forgot.

Me+Killing people=Threat

Me+Threat=People (like Elina) out to kill me

Great, this just great. I shoot an arrow into her other leg.

"Gone soft, Twelve?"

I glare at her, then my look softens. "Look, I don't want to kill you! Just go away and we can-"

Arrow still in her leg, she stands up and throws the spear at me. I duck. The spear hit's a flaming tree branch. It falls and some embers catch Elina's clothes. "AH! SOMEBODY HELP! NOOO PLEASE!" The flames begin to engulf her. I frantically try to untie the canteen from my belt. I succeed, dump the water on her. The water just amkes it worse. She cries out in agony one last time. _Boom! _Elina's cannon goes off. Her body is hardly recognizable from the charred remains.

"I'm gonna be sick." I say, trying to not throw up.

"Go ahead. We won't look." Zayna says.

I find a bush and throw up. Zephyr, does too.

"Seems like all of our fire-starting scenarios are at least partially wrong." Zayna says when Zephyr and I are done throwing up.

"What do you mean?" Asia asks as Elina's charred remains are lifted by the hovercraft.

"Ordinary fire wouldn't burn a body that quickly or that badly. Unless some kind of chemical or a whole lot of gasoline was added to it. But even then the process would be much slower." Zayna explains. Okay, maybe Zayna now wears the brains in the confederacy.

"Yeah...you're right." Asia says.

* * *

_Haymitch..._

This brings us to where we are now.

Chaff swearing and drinking more than he already has. Raewyn trying not to faint. My dry heaves. All three of us and Seeder wishing we could un-see what just happened.

Finnick joins us again. "The Careers were boring me." he says, throwing a sugar cube in his mouth.

"Figures." Seeder mummers.

"Glad you could join us buddy! Pal! Best friend!" Chaff says, in a drunken stupor.

Normally I would laugh, but...does the reason even need an explanation? I'm pretty sure today's events are self-explanatory. Finnick tosses another sugar cube in his mouth. "Wait, where did you even _get _sugar cubes?" I ask him.

"Kitchen. Want some?" Finnick holds out his hand.

"Sure why not?" I take three or four. Mm, sugar.

Raewyn stares at us in disgust. "You two are eating sugar cubes? Hello, did you _not _just see what happened today?"

"Uh..."

"Maybe when they replay it you'll get it."

"We saw it, we were sitting in this room the whole time." Finnick says, confused.

"Ugh, never mind." I see a small tear run down her cheek and pretend not to notice.

"The Gamemaker's have gone a bit too far this time, haven't they?" I ask Seeder.

Seeder nods. "Way too far." That's when I see it. Seeder, Chaff, Finnick and I are not upset because of the tribute deaths. Sure, they disgust us, but other than that we hardly acknowledge them. We are upset because of how far the Gamemakers went. Raewyn is quite the opposite. That tears wasn't just for Colton Cotton. That tears was for Taya Scout, Trendy Twilight, City Ballantine and Elina Herb along with her own tribute. She cares about people in general. That is rare for a victor. They are usually cruel and heartless, or completely out-of-touch because of alcohol or morphling. I try to think back to the 60th Games. Aside from all the painful memories it brings me, I do remember a few things about Raewyn and how she won.

She only killed one person, Maxwell Tylers from 12 because he killed her ally. The final four were her, the boy from 5, the boy from 7 and the boy from 4. She hid in a tree near the Cornucopia and watched the boy from 5 kill the boy from 7 and the boy from 4 kill him. The boy 4 thought he was the victor, but Raewyn jumped out of the tree and was ready to face him. She knew something the boy from 4 didn't. There were six man-eating foxes in the arena. All but one were dead. Each fox was made to hunt one tribute. They were created specifically for the final six.

The last six were made up of Raewyn, the boys from 4, 7, 5 and 10 and the boy from 1, who was her ally. The boy from 1 was the first to get eaten by his fox. Raewyn expected the fox to kill her too, but it ran away. She killed it though, just in case. Two of the foxes passed her, but didn't try to eat her. She watched one of the foxes that ignored her eat the boy from 10. She killed both foxes, then climbed up into a tree. She saw the other three boys kill their foxes. Raewyn saw the last fox- her fox- sniffing around for her. She jumped into the next tree to delay the fox by at least a few seconds. That's when the boys finished each other off and Raewyn jumped out of the tree.

The boy from 4 raised a spear, prepared to kill her. Raewyn heard a snarl from behind her. She glanced behind to see the fox, smiled as the boy moved to drive the sword through her stomach, moved to the left just in time for the fox to miss her and tear into the boy from 4. The trumpets and the anthem played to announce her the winner.

That is the reason why she can care so genuinely. Because ultimately, she is a victor by chance.

Ever killed two people today, but that was to defend herself. She couldn't kill Elina Herb, though, which worries me. But maybe there _is _hope for her. If Raewyn, the girl who only killed one person to avenge her ally's death can be a victor, than maybe Ever can too.

* * *

_Robbie..._

Night finally comes around. The flames are still burning in the distance, but Hollie, Amity and I are far enough away to be safe. I volunteered for standing guard first.

The anthem of Panem plays and the faces of the five dead tributes are cast into the sky.

Both from 1. Girl from 4. Boy from 9. Girl from 11.

Five tributes dead tonight. That leaves me and the girls, Ever and three of her allies, the girl from 6, and the girl from 10. Nine of us left. Wow. They're burning through us like coal.

* * *

_Ever..._

We find a nice big tree with large, strong branches and plenty of leaves far away from where all the flames are.

"Sleeping rules still apply," Zephyr says. "We have to stay up and guard in shifts."

"I'll take the first shift." I volunteer.

"No, I'll do it." Asia says, not meeting any of our eyes.

I open my mouth to protest, but quickly close it. She didn't just lose her ally today. She lost her district partner. They probably had nothing to do with each other prior to the reaping, but at least he was from home. I now know why she wants to take the guard shift. This is why she was acting so blasé earlier, so she could mourn in private. "Okay." I say, lying myself to the branch above Zayna with the rope.

* * *

_Haymitch..._

"They're almost down to the final eight, you know." Seeder says, standing up and starting to walk away.

"Where you goin'?" Chaff slurs, completely wasted.

"I'm going back to the hotel room. I can't take another night sleeping on these benches and falling asleep to Chaff and Finnick spinning around in those chairs."

"See you tomorrow." I yawn. I look around and see that the only Career mentors still here are from, District 2. Well, there's Finnick, but he's cool and hardly counts as a Career. Come to think of it, the guys from 4 are just about the only decent Careers ever.

"Seeder's right, you know." Raewyn says sleepily with eyes shut. "You'd better prepare for the questions tomorrow."

"Nah, I'm just going to wing it."

She opens her eyes for a second and says, "Good luck with that."

* * *

**Next chapter...**

**The 72nd Hunger Games have almost been narrowed down to the final 8! Will we have the final 8, or will it be delayed one more day?**


	12. Ticking Clocks

A/N: I do not own the Hunger Games

* * *

**Ticking Clocks**

* * *

_Confusion never stops _  
_Closing walls and ticking clocks_

_~Coldplay, Clocks_

* * *

_Tigerlily Corbin..._

With my broken arm, I manage to sneak away from my shelter the next morning. I gather plenty of blackberries and blueberries to last me a few days. But it's not my hunger I'm worried about. It's my arm. How long can I last with a broken arm in these Games? Even the kids from twelve could kill me right now if they crossed me.

"Arm hurting you?" asks a soft female voice.

"Oh. Hi." I wince.

"Your sponsors haven't sent you pain meds? Funny, I thought you'd have an abundance of those."

"I did," I tell the blonde from 10. "But they kind of don't want anything to do with me since this happened." I gesture towards my broken arm.

"Of course." She reaches out to shake my good hand. "I'm Nevaeh Tierney."

"You want to be allies or something?"

"No. I work alone."

"So do I. Why'd you shake my hand?"

"To introduce myself, of course." Nevaeh looks up at the sky.

"So I could get to know my killer?"

"Oh, no. I don't want to kill you. I wouldn't, not with that broken arm of yours. Pity it's your spear arm."

"Yeah...pity." I say slowly.

Nevaeh turns to walk away. "I'm leaving. You're welcome to join me for a little while, but then you must leave."

"If I don't?"

"I'm afraid I will have to kill you."

A sinister voice comes from the woods. "Neither of you are going anywhere."

We turn around and see the face of one of the most ruthless people in the arena.

* * *

_Slate Fallon..._

From a hidden branch in a tree, I see the two loners in the Game (besides me) have a nice little chat. _Hm...the one girl has a broken arm. Her spear-throwing arm. And the other. She has nothing but a boomerang for her protection. What are they even doing talking to each other? Even with a broken arm the one girl could easily kill the blonde._

I touch the blade of my scythe. _Sharp. But not sharp enough._

I lean over slightly to get a better look at the girls. _But it'll do the job..._

But before I can get the chance to jump down and kill them, that traitor Amity Taryn steps under the tree with her allies. "Do want to do the honors?" she asks the one on her right. I can't tell if it is the boy or the girl. Maybe I can still the girls. I prepare to jump from the tree.

* * *

_Ever..._

I am the first to wake up, other than Zephyr, who had taken the last guard shift. "'Morning." I say.

"'Morning." he replies. "Give me all the canteens. We're running low on water."

I hand them over.

"Idiot." he scolds.

"What?"

"You always keep one on two canteens when someone asks for all of them. I could be trying to dehydrate you."

"I trust you."

Zephyr smiles, "You're right. I wouldn't do anything to try and kill any of you."

"Yeah you would. You'd kill me or Asia if you had to. But not Zayna." I tease, giving him the googgly eyes.

"Z-Zayna? What?"

"Zep and Zayna sittin' in a tree. K-I-S- SHI-"

"Language." Zayna scolds.

"Violence." I retort, massaging the spot on my arm where she punched me. She smirks. "How long have you been up? I thought Zeph and I were the only ones." I ask.

"Fifteen minutes before _you_ woke up. Maybe, I don't have a watch."

"Hm, that'd be something nice for the sponsors to send us." Zephyr says.

"Why?" I ask.

"So we can keep track of time."

"Well, I know that, but why would a watch help in the arena?"

Zephyr smiles. "There's several ways a watch could help out, aren't there Zayna?"

She nods. "That's how my best friend, Zora, won last year."

"Really?"

"Yeah. She noticed that about every 90 minutes, a flock of man-eating cats came out to play. She stayed in the same tree for about three whole days and killed off as many. Finally they ate the other remaining tribute because Zora lured her to the birds. Kind of like that one chick did in the 60th Games."

I nod slowly.

"See you girls soon." Zephyr says, going to fill the canteens.

"Did he find another water source?" I ask Zayna.

"No. He's hoping he can get back to the waterfall."

"Oh." _I hope he can. I gave him all the canteens except the one Asia has._

* * *

_Haymitch..._

I am the last to wake up. "Anyone die?"

"Well good morning to you too." Chaff says sarcastically.

I give him the finger. "Are we down to the final 8 yet? Is Ever still alive? Are her allies? Robbie? How about- OW!" (HAHA Raewyn Gibbs-slapped him again.) "What was that for?"

Raewyn rolls her eyes. "Really Haymitch, if anything like that happened, we'd have woken you sooner. We would have anyway, but you say interesting things in your sleep."

"What?" I ask flatly.

Finnick smirks. "Oh, yeah. You were like, confessing your love for Raewyn here in your sleep."

"Yeah, we didn't know you felt that way about a _married woman_." Seeder adds.

Chaff just start guffawing.

My face goes white. "You're kidding."

"No, they're not." says Raewyn uncomfortably.

I start sweating. _I don't even THINK of her that way? We're FRIENDS. JUST friends!_

Finnick, Seeder, Chaff and Raewyn break out in hysterical laughter. "I can't believe you fell for that."

I slapped Finnick in the back of the head, then Chaff. "I'd slap you girls also, but you're girls."

"Since when did our sex stop you from messing with us?" Seeder asks.

I roll my eyes. "HOLY! DID YOU SEE THAT!" I shout. Apparently, I was the only one paying attention to the screen when the scythe came out of nowhere. Wait, why are there two bodies on the ground instead of the one?

* * *

_Robbie..._

"Do want to do the honors?" Amity asks, pointing at the girls from 10 and 6.

I overhear the girl's conversation:

"I'm leaving. You're welcome to join me for a little while, but then you must leave."

"If I don't?"

"I'm afraid I will have to kill you."

"My pleasure..." I whisper to Amity. "Neither of you are going anywhere." I say sinisterly, stepping out of the woods. "Except maybe up in a hovercraft." In a panic, the blonde from 10 tosses her boomerang at me. I scoff, "You _that _will stop me?" I smack it out of the air and stab the sharp, shiny sword into her stomach. _Boom! _A cannon. The blonde falls to the ground, dead. "Your turn." I say to the girl from 6.

"N-no. No please...PLEASE Have mercy."

"I'm sorry, honey. Your clock has stopped." I prepare to stab her through the throat with the sword. _Whoosh! _A scythe flies through the air, barely missing me and slicing the girl's body in half. The smell of fresh-spilled blood fills the air. It tastes wonderfully. _Boom! _The cannon is like a sweet, silver bell.

* * *

_Slate..._

The boy from 12 stole my first kill. He's not spoiling this one. I fling my scythe as hard as I can, severing Tigerlily Corbin's body near her ribcage. _Robert Hester is right. Her clock _has _stopped. Just not quite on _his _terms. _I see the boy smell the blood in the air. Hm, if only I allied with him earlier in the games. "Hello, Robert." I jump from the tree to greet him.

"Oh. You're the boy from 2."

"Slate. Slate Fallon."

"Robbie." We shake hands.

"That was an excellent kill you made. That girl from 10. I never thought she'd be killed until the end."

Robbie's laugh is emotionless. "What makes you say that?"

"She was so good at hiding. If she hadn't revealed herself now, who knows when she would have been killed."

"You have a point."

"I always do, Robbie."

"You kill was excellent, too. But I know that's not why you jumped from the tree."

"Hm?"

"You didn't jump from the tree to exchange congratulations."

I shake my head. "That's exactly what I came here to do. Congratulation on making the final 8. Same to you Amity Taryn, and whoever the other girl is."

"You came to kill us, right?" Robbie asks, prepared to fight.

Again, I shake my head. "No, Robbie. I don't think the people of Panem would be very happy if they didn't get all eight of their final eight interviews. I am stopping my killing for today. No promises for tomorrow, though."

Robbie has a knife ready. "So you're going to kill us tomorrow."

"Yes, all three of you. Unless...you are an excellent killer." _Flattery, yes. Flattery will work on him._

"What are you playing at?" Robbie's grip on the knife tightens.

"I want you to ditch those weak girls. I want you to ally with me. Together, we can kill everyone else in this arena. That 18 year old boy from 3 seems like a real contender. So does the girl. We can kill them. Won't that be fun?"

Robbie smiles heartlessly. "Sounds like a plan. I'll ally with you under one condition."

"Anything." I say.

"I want to kill my district partner myself."

"Of course." I say. _If _I _don't kill _you _first_.

Maybe I _will _let that child be his last thrill kill.

* * *

_Amity..._

I swear loudly and Hollie and I run from Robbie and Slate.

"TRAITOR!" Hollie screams.

We finally stop running.

"Amity, look." Hollie says suddenly.

"What?" I snap.

"I don't want to have to kill you. I think we should go our separate ways."

"FINE! I don't need YOU anyway!" I shoot back.

"FINE!"

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

"Fine!

"Fine!

* * *

_Haymitch..._

"I want you to ditch those weak girls. I want you to ally with me. Together, we can kill everyone else in this arena. That 18 year old boy from 3 seems like a real contender. So does the girl. We can kill them. Won't that be fun?"

Robbie smiles heartlessly. "Sounds like a plan. I'll ally with you under one condition."

"Anything." Slate Fallon says.

"I want to kill my district partner myself."

_Kill my district partner myself...kill my district partner myself...__kill my district partner myself...kill... _Those last five words linger in my head for what feels like forever. Robbie is going to kill her. Robbie is going to kill Ever _my _Ever. He can't do that, he just _can't _kill my little princess; she's all I've got left.

"Haymitch? Hellooo...anyone home?" Chaff asks, waving a hand in front of my face. Normally, I would laugh and make a smart remark to him. BUt not this time. I grab his hand and without looking at him, I lower it. "Guess my attempt to cheer you up didn't work." he sighs. I hear him open up another bottle and offer it to Raewyn. She accepts but doesn't take a sip yet.

"Haymitch-" she starts.

"Please tell me he didn't just say what I thought he said."

She says nothing.

"Seeder? Finnick?"

They both swallow, but don't speak.

"He said it." Raewyn finally whispers, after realizing that the other three simply would not.

I refuse to start crying like a child in front of everybody, so I just glare at the screen. "If he kills my little girl, I'll kill _him_."

Well then, I guess I will have to kill Robbie. I hope he wins this. That way I can rip him apart limb from limb.

_Robbie's metaphor was surprisingly accurate. Ever's life truly is like a ticking clock, until someone stops it. Robbie's clock will only have a little while longer than ever's before I stop it._

* * *

_Ever..._

"Zephyr!"

"You found the water!"

"Huh?" Asia yawns, finally waking up.

"Oh, finally!" I exclaim.

"We thought you were dead." Zayna jokes. Despite the fact that we could be killed at an moment in these Games, Zayna's comment was actually really funny. We could not _stop _laughing.

Later, Asia is unanimously voted for the first guard shift. The sun is setting and she has only been awake for about four hours.

I lie awake for hours, tied securely to my tree branch. I look around the tree. Zayna and Zephyr are curled up next to each other, Zephyr's arm around Zayna and content smiles on their faces. Asia is sitting, back agaisnt the trunk, smiling and humming a song. I know the song. My Aunt Susan and Uncle Rexton sing it to my little cousins to fall asleep. My mother's side of the family passed down many songs from before Panem even began. Come to think of it, my father has sung a few of them to me. It's how I got to sleep when I was a toddler until I was about four. I can't beleive Asia knows any of those songs, especially the one she is humming. That has always been one of my favorite songs.

_Why did I have to meet them in the Hunger Games? We could have all been lifelong friends...Colton too. One thing's for sure. None of them deserve to die. Next time we're attacked, I'm going to do my best to keep them from dying. Even if it costs _me _my own life. I know it won't erase the fact that I killed City and Trendy, but maybe it will make-up for it. Not to their families, but maybe to my conscience. Maybe if I just die in Asia, or Zephyr or Zayna's place, my murderous acts can be forgiven. Maybe...maybe there's something waiting for me beyond the light. Maybe dying for my friends will take me there. Only one way to find out..._

* * *

_Robbie..._

Slate and I agree that I get night watch. I know Slate is just pretending to sleep but I act like I don't know anyway. After a while of playing possum, Slate rolls over and faces me.

"Not that I care," he says "but why do you hate Ever Abernathy so much?"

I sigh sadly and and tell him the story, "My mother. She and Ever's mother were close friends as teenagers. Rose was a few years younger my mom; her name was Katharine Jayde Hester. She and my father never married, but...they had the same last name. They were something like third cousins once or twice removed or something. Anyway, Katharine's family and Rose's were both going through hard times and they needed to make money somehow. My older brother and I were already born at this point, so it isn't like she could have just done something small like wash people's clothes.

She had to do something major and so did Rose Fairchild. There is only one decent paying job for women in District 12 and that is selling yourself to Peacekeepers. Both Rose and Katharine were planning on doing just that. But Rose let it slip that she was planning on doing that. She let it slip to Haymitch Abernathy. Haymitch, of course, had Rose live with him and she never had to worry about food or money again. I guess that's what you get when your boyfriend is a victor.

I'm sure Haymitch would have helped out Katharine, too...if that bitch Rose bothered to mention her dear friend to her boyfriend. As far as I know, Katharine's name was never mentioned to Haymitch. So Katharine went into prostitution alone, without her _best friend _to endure the suffering. She hated herself for it. She felt like a tramp, a whore, and she felt she was being unfaithful to my father.

So she killed herself. She killed herself and it is all Rose Fairchild and Haymitch Abernathy's fault. Rose is dead. Haymitch isn't in the arena. So I will kill Ever. I will kill Ever and make Haymitch watch so he can suffer like Katharine, my father, my brother and I did.

_That _is why I hate her so much."

Slate takes this all in and shrugs. "Who am I to deny you your coveted kill."


	13. Final Eight Interviews part 1

**Disclaimer: I do not won the Hunger Games. I wish I did, but I don't :(**

_A/N: This is kind of like a long-ish filler chapter. This is mostly the interviews and a little bit of tribute interaction, but no violence in this one. The NEXT chapter, will have several deaths and lots of action. I just thought I'd do the interviews so it'll be more like _watching _the Hunger Games._

_A/N2: On my profile, is a new poll, 'Who do you think will be in the final two. I already have my two most definite possibilities picked out, but I'm just curious to see how many other's think the same way I do, and what the rest of you predict :D_

_A/N3: I think I'll divide the interviews into two or three parts. The first few in this chapter, a few more the next, then Ever and Robbie's in thier won chapter._

* * *

**Final Eight Interviews part 1**

* * *

_Caesar Flickarman's camera crew trainee, Unity Sampson..._

My friends Galahad Bilson, Flick Easter and I have been following Caesar Flickerman around all day.

"Our first _real _assignment! Isn't this awesome!" Flick cheers, her blood-red curls bouncing around wildly.

"Don't get too excited Flick. We just get to stand there an make sure Caesar is pretty." Galahad says, his cat-like eyes glaring at Flick.

"Really, Galahad, you should get your eyes fixed again. This fashion trend of cat eyes, I really don't get." Flick says.

"You're only jealous because your eyes aren't as cool as mine." he taunts.

"I think Galahad is moody because it;s actually _his _job to make Caesar look pretty." I tease.

"Shut up, Unity. You and your purple skin just shut up." Galahad snaps.

"What? It's not my fault that I get to operate a camera and Flick here keeps everyone in order."

Galahad mumbles something unintelligible.

Caesar rolls his eyes at us. "Behave. Which tribute are we starting with?"

"Uh...Amity Taryn, female, District 2." Flick says, waving the clipboard in the air. Caesar thanks her and hurries into the Justice building, followed by the Flick, Galahad, the higher-paid camera guys, then me. I get my camera ready to focus on Caesar. Sitting on a couch in the interview room of the Justice Building, are a man in his fifties and three girls in their late teens. "We're rolling, Caesar." I say, five seconds before we air live.

"Good morning, Panem. We are now down to the final eight in the 72nd Annual Hunger Games. Wow! Can you believe it? No? Neither can I. Joining me right now, is the family of Amity Taryn, our female tribute from District 2. Good morning Mr. Taryn."

"Good morning." Mr. Taryn says gruffly. He looks nothing like his daughter, but the three girls look just like her. Triplets, a little older than Amity by the looks of it.

"Mr. Taryn, how does it feel knowing your daughter has a good chance of winning at this point?"

"I don't know. Amity always said she would win the Hunger Games one day."

One of the girls speaks, "I think Amity can do it."

Caesar smiles, "Are you her only three siblings?"

"No, Amity has eleven siblings in all." say's the triplet it the middle. All three have the same red hair and cold, unforgiving green eyes as Amity.

"Talk about a full house!" Caesar jokes. The furthest triplet smacks her forehead and shakes her head, causing Caesar to blush. "And your name is?"

"Cadence." she replies.

"You two lovely ladies?" he asks the other two.

"Rhythm." says the middle.

"Melody." says the oldest.

"Beautiful. Do all your children have such flowing and rhythmic names?"

"Yes." answers Mr. Taryn. Caesar then goes on forever and ever with questions, until he has to move on to Slate Fallon's interview, the boy from 2. We decide not to take commercial breaks, since we will be up all night traveling and interviewing as it is. Mr. and Mrs. Fallon, along with a young girl walk in. Caesar greets them over-enthusiastically.

"Hello, Caesar." Mr. Fallon says gruffly.

"H-H-Hello Mr. Flickerman." Mrs. Fallon says, after getting a glare from her husband.

"Hi!" pipes up the child. His sister, no doubt.

"You're name, little one?"

"Fawn!" she giggles, her shoulder-length chestnut brown hair trembling with her laughter, brown eyes twinkling.

"Mr. and Mrs. Fallon, are you proud of your son?" Caesar asks the parents. Is it just me, or are all district 2 couples the same? Mr. and Mrs. Fallon are nothing special in terms of personality. Mr. Fallon is very strict, serious and severe. His wife and daughter are obviously intimidated by him, and there is clearly a good reason for them to be. He keeps going on and on about how his son, "could do better," and that Slate isn't showing his, "full potential" in the Games. Uh, slicing people in half with a scythe on a daily basis doesn't qualify as "full potential?" If _that's _ not "full potential," then I don't know _what_ is. Mrs. Fallon seems like she isn't paying attention much. Her answers are usually short and monosyllabic. The most Caesar can coax out of her is, "Yes, my son can and will win." Even then she isn't even all emotionally there. Caesar concludes the interview with a few words from Fawn Fallon, "Thank you Caesar." Fawn clears her throat and finishes with, "I love my big brother very much, and hope he wins so he can read me stories again." Most of the camera crew can't help but to 'awww' at the little girl. I can help it though. Bah, sweet loving sister my butt. she probably hates him. They all put up the act for the cameras. Though, there's a different look in Fawn Fallon's eyes then all the others. _Maybe she does genuinely love her brother._

Next, is District 3. First up, is the interviews for Zayna Code. Turns out, she has no family left and her only friend is Zora Corg, last year's victor. We have the other person on our news team, Artemis Shine in the Capitol with all the victors, interviewing Zora. "Did you expect Zayna to get this far in the Games?" Artemis asks her.

"Actually, yes. Zayna has always been one to keep pressing on until it is absolutely hopeless. Even then she'll figure out something."

Artemis smiles and asks, "Now, what's the story?"

"What do you mean?"

"How long have you known Zayna? We hear that you're her best friend."

"Oh, well, we've known each other since we were toddlers. She lives down the street from me. We actually hated each other until we were about seven and she let me borrow her crayons in school. We've been best friends ever since."

"Any plans for if she wins?"

"Oh yeah. We're going shopping then I'm going to find some was to publicly embarrass her, because that's what best friends do."

Artemis then kept on and on with mostly pointless questions. Zora quickly become irritated. After a while, it is time to switch to us in District 3. Turns out, Zephyr Polyoxl has a little sister, who is also named Zora. She is his only family, and is staying with a neighbor until Zephyr gets back (if he gets back...)

Caesar asks her a bunch of questions and she says the same thing as Slate Fallon's sister, pretty much. "I hope my brother comes home soon. We can have a snowball fight this winter!"

We then travel to District 7.

* * *

_Haymitch..._

"The interviews always depress me." Chaff slurs as they start Amity Taryn's interview. He's drunker than a dog.

"Have another drink, Chaff." Raewyn says. "Before I knock you over the head with a small child." she mutters to me. I laugh half-heartedly. To be honest, I hate the interviews too, especially this year. Maybe it's because for once, I know what those families must be going through. Trying to sum up their children in a few short sentences, talking like it's some great honor for their child to kill their peers only to possibly die the next day...it's just horrible. Great. Now this year, I have to put on the same Capitol-praising act the other parents and friends and siblings have to. I don't know how they do it. I guess I'll have to figure it out soon. Or do I?

No, I have to. If I screw up in the interview, Ever will be killed by a Gamemaker's trick for sure. I can't let her death be my fault. The Capitol gives us a quick glimpse of the tributes. Ever, Zephyr, Zayna and Asia are on the move again, running low on water. I check the price list:

**3 bottles of water...$56.00**

Now that Asia gave Ever her bow and arrows, I don't need to worry about saving funds for that. I send the water. Ever and Asia can proably share one ad the older two can have the other ones. Wait, another parachute is falling. It's more water. Never mind then, they all have at least one. _I wonder how long her alliance will last...even if she makes it farther into the Games that doesn't change the fact that Robbie is out to get her._

F my life.

Just F it!

Every last thing I've cared about has been taken away by the Capitol. My normal life, my first _real _girl before Rose, my brother, my mother, Rose and now my own daughter.

Again I say, F my life.

I open up a bottle, finally realizing the chances of me seeing Ever again are next to nothing.

"No." Raewyn whispers, taking it from me. "Don't give up on her."

I realize she is right at set the bottle down.

* * *

A/N: OH MY GOSH! Apparently, people in District 12 have southern accents! The link below is Suzanne Collins reading from 'Catching Fire.' Before she reads, she herself doesn't have an accent, so she is consciously giving Katniss an accent. Plus, in the books, Katniss does mention that District is located in the Appalachian Mountains WHICH are located in the south! [Okay, well, the Appalachians stretch from New York to Mississippi, but just listen to the reading :D]:

Why does D12 have to have southern accents? WHY! Ugh, I hate southern accents though. And I'm ALLOWED to say that because I live in Redneckville, North Carolina. Ha, see how much I hate the south! :P

(So, here it is! Without the spaces of course.)

http:/ mockingjay .net /2010/05/17/ interesting-tidbit-katniss-has-a-southern-accent/

Maybe a light southern accent...yeah, that'd be good. Just not a thick one...idk that's my rant for the week :P


	14. Final Eight Interviews part 2

**Disclaimer: I do not won the Hunger Games. I wish I did, but I don't :(**

_A/N: This is kind of like a filler chapter. I'm sorry it totally sucks. The story was deleted from my computer. Next ch. will be Ever and Robbie's itnerviews, then back to the Arena where the REAL fun is!_

* * *

**Final Eight Interviews part 2**

* * *

_Haymitch..._

"Just one drink, please?" I plead with Finnick and Raewyn.

"Nope." they say in unison.

"Oh come on! You know nobody dies during the interviews! I haven't had a drink in over a week!"

"Good!"

"Did you two rehearse this conversation?"

"No!"

"Oh, okay then...just one sip?"

"No!"

Chaff guffaws, "Come on you guys. Give him a few drinks."

"No, because then he's gonna be drunk. Nothing good happens when men get drunk." Raewyn says.

"Oh, and you can be drunk?" I argue. "_That's_ hypocritical."

"I don't get drunk...just a little buzzed." she defends.

"Yeah _riiight_. Like you weren't totally wasted a few night ago when you were hugging Seeder like she was your teddy bear!" I point out.

She blushes, "But that was only one night! You're wasted all the time!" I am about to say something in my defense, but I realize she is right. She smirks when I close my mouth. I scowl and roll me eyes. _Women. They're all so...so...irritating. Especially after they turn 30. It's like something in them just flicks on the nag switch. I wonder if Ever will be that annoying after 30. Maybe I'll just ship her off to live with Chaff in District 11 after she wins the Games and write her a weekly letter. That way, I won't have to deal with 30-year-old nagging daughter. Ha, poor Chaff. He'll get stuck with his won nagging 30-something-year-old daughter plus mine...on second thought, I'll give her to Raewyn. The can be nags together. _"Here." Raewyn reluctantly hands over a glass of wine. _I knew she'd give in. _I take it from her. _Oh _third _thought, maybe I'll let Ever stick around..._

* * *

_Ever..._

"AVERT YOUR EYES!" Asia shouts as Zephyr kisses Zayna.

I let my tongue hang slightly out of my mouth and I press my right index finger to it to signify throwing up.

Zayna smirks and kisses Zephyr back.

"Oh, really you guys! I'm about to shoot you both in the butt with a dart!"

You may be wondering why they decided to engage in a make-out session. Well, that will be explain later. (A/N: Next chapter... because I'm **that **evil!)

* * *

_Unity Sampson, Caeser Flickerman's camera intern..._

I lazily stood there behind a camera, smacking my gum like one of the cows that wander around District 10. I don't care if my gum smacking can be heard on camera. Quite frankly, I'm tired of running around the districts like a headless chicken. There I go again, another District 10 reference...

Hollie Sterns family is very ho-hum. A mother, a father, an older brother. Caesar gives me a dirty look as I yawn loudly. _Hm, Capitol audience won't like that very much._

Next is District 9, yet another snore fest. Really, what's the big deal with getting to know the tributes anyway? They all die except for one, so what's the point?

Pointless as it is, Asia Hedvigg's family is waiting in the Justice Building for us. Mother and younger sister- her older sister is in the Capitol for the Games. The little sister is named Tarmac. She looks a lot like Asia. She gives us the typical response, "I hope Asia wins! She's my favorite sister!"

After District 9, is District 12. Well ,this should be interesting...


	15. The Interviews Part 3

**A/N: Last interview chapter :P**

**A/N2: OOh before I forget...I got bored and made a little youTube thing for this fic LOL the link is at the bottom of my profile**

**A/N3: OMZ I AM SOOO SORRY for not updating! I've been busy and I've had major writer's block. Okay, so this chapter is to prove I'm still alive. Next chapter will be Haymitch's interview AND some action in the Games. It will a long chapter, but it will have the good stuff. I jsut really suck at interviews, I'm better with actual action! GUG!**

* * *

**The Interviews Part 3**

* * *

_Haymitch..._

**_(SHH! He's thinking!)_**

_Rose quickly sat up on the hotel bed. My eyes opened faster than lightning. "Wassup?" I yawned._

_"Haymitch, be honest. What are we doing?"_

_"What do you mean?"_

_"What are we doing? You know, you...me...I know what this ring is supposed to mean, but is it just because I got pregnant and we have _her_," Rose gestures to the sleeping baby in the bassinet, "Or is it because you really mean it?"_

_I wrapped my arms around her and whispered, "I mean it. I love you, Rose, and it's not just because of the baby." I kissed her cheek. "It's because There's nobody else but you and there will never be anyone else."_

_She giggled sleepily and buried her head into my chest. "I love you too Haymitch, but did you always love me?"_

_"I'd be lying if I said yes. Remember the first time we officially met? I hated you. "_

_"You mean that time in the woods? You had already won the Games, but you were still trying to teach your poor little brother to hunt?"_

_I bit my lip. _Dionysus..._ "Yeah, that time."_

_"I remember. I shot an arrow that landed right beside your foot because you were being mean to him."_

_"Yes, and then you yelled at me."_

_"You yelled back. You said some really nasty things. Goodness, Haymitch, I was only nine at the time."_

_I chuckled, "Sure as hell acted a lot older."_

_She sat up again. "I did. I said you were acting like my jerkface older brother. Then three days later..." She trailed off._

_"It's okay, sweetheart."_

_"Then three days later at...at the funeral I tried to be nice and you told me to piss of and exactly how much you hoped I would get caught hunting. Wow, that's a lot of hate. What made you change your mind?"_

_I motioned for her to lie back down. She laid her head on my chest and I ran my fingers through her hair. "That day on your first Reaping. You were running late and so was I. Some town kids were tossing around rotten apples."_

_"I remember _that _day. One of the apples wasn't rotten and I hit me in the head. I stumbled and tripped over something, fell and broke three toes and sprained my ankle. What's so special about that day? I was still a jerk to you."_

_I laughed and lifted her head slightly to face me. "I had to give you a piggyback ride to the Justice Building. A little over a month later, I came home from the Games. You were standing there with your crutches and a fresh batch of Ajax Mellark's chocolate chip cookies. Extra butter, so they were chewy. He only made them for you. I asked you who went with you to the train station, but you said you walked. It was cold, so I, again, had to give you a piggyback ride and carry your crutches."_

_"That was the day we became friends."_

_I scoffed. "Friends! Friends? Please. At that point, you were more like a probation officer. Hiding the liquor quicker than I could buy it, forcing me to join the living; the usual torture."_

_"Mm, you enjoyed it."_

_"Did not."_

_"Denial isn't just another river in...wherever."_

_"Alright, fine. I enjoyed it. Especially that one time in the woods. You were 15." I remembered it like it was yesterday._

_She rolled over so she was lying on top of me. "You mean when we were up in that tree and I confessed my love to you?"_

_"Yes, but believe you also kissed me."_

_"Like this?" She kissed me passionately and I returned it. "So let me get this straight. You hated me when we first met."_

_"With every fiber of my being."_

_Her smile changed into a look of worry and confusion. "And now?"_

_"I love you. More than my own life."_

_She scoffed and moved off of me._

_"I mean it, Rose. I would go into that cursed arena again and again for you, so long as I know you'll be there when it's over."_

_She smirked. "Wow Haymitch. Who knew you're a romantic at heart." Her index finger traced a line down my chest. "Wish me luck, tomorrow?"_

_"You'll survive." I told her. "You have to."_

_"And why exactly do I have to?"_

_"Because."_

_"That isn't an answer." She whispered._

_I sighed. "You need to win because I can't do any of this alone. Stay sober, take care of the baby...babies are gross."_

_"Get used to it, Haymitch. You and I both know I'm coming out of that arena in a hovercraft- most likely in pieces."_

_"Don't say that."_

_"It's a the truth."_

_"Rose please! Can't we just pretend you have a chance?"_

_She didn't say anything for a while._

_"Rose?"_

_"Yes," She finally said. "Let's pretend." We both knew it was our last night together, but we thought pretending it wasn't would help. It didn't._

"Haymitch. Haymitch. Hellooo, anyone home?" I slapped Chaff's hand away from my face. "Hm, guess you are home. Capitol people are here."

_Great_

I hate these stupid interviews. I hate them with a passion.

I look around at the faces of the other victors. None of them are exactly thrilled about it either. The already-crowded room is now almost twice as packed. Cameras, microphones, an interviewer and a camera crew now make it impossible to move. Sure, most of the victors are used to this. Every two or three years there's a big deal over a tribute or two.

Just because we've had it happen before doesn't mean we like it.

* * *

_Kenton Rainriver, District 12, friend of Ever Abernathy..._

"Kenton! Get your lazy butt up!" Ivy screams.

I groan and toss my lamp at the door. "Shut up!"

"Kenton, come on! We have to be interviewed today!"

I groan again. "I don't wanna!"

"You can't sit here in your room for the rest of your life glued to the television you know!"

"Actually, I can."

"Just do the interview, today, please? Do it for Ever? She's still alive, you know."

Yes, I know she's still alive. I am perhaps the only one who has always had faith in her. I hurry to my door and fling it open. "Fine. Do go downstairs."

"Why?"

"Do you _want _to see my naked? You know what? Don't answer that." I say, slamming the door in her face, quickly throwing on a dirty pair of jeans and the same shirt I wore to the reaping. On my way out, I grab my father's jacket, since it is the only one decent enough for the interview. Not that I care about any Capitol interview anyway, but I guess pleasing the Capitol is better than not. Ivy is waiting for me outside my house.

"Let's go! Josh and Damien are already there."

Stupid interviews. Stupid Hunger Games.

The first people I notice are Ever's uncles. I can't seem to recall their names. It isn't like it matters, though. I'm only here to talk about Ever, not get to know them. I take my seat between Ivy and Damien. Josh, Ivy's twin, is home sick. I see Robbie Hester's father and brother in the Justice Building, too. _Hester. _I think. _The guy who wants to kill Ever...she doesn't even stand a chance._

Well...at least she made it to the final 8. Normally, she'd be dead by now. They interview her uncles first. The older one is obviously somewhat hostile toward Ever, and doesn't seem to care if she dies or not. I think that one is Raphael. The younger one is considerable younger than the other as well as a few years younger Haymitch. He seems to care for Ever almost like a second father. Now I remember. The younger one is Rexton, Ever thinks very highly of him.

_Ever..._ I know, it is odd, is it not? A 15 year old boy worrying so much over a 12 year old girl who isn't even family. Ah, who'm I kidding? Ever _is _family. Since my brother and two older sisters died in a mine accident, she's been my parent's surrogate daughter. She even calls them 'Ma' and 'Papa,' but of course she still calls her actual father, 'Daddy.' So really I'm trying to say, yes. She is like family to me...but why do I care so much? Oh no.

No, no, no, no, no, NO!

YOU, Kenton Sirius Rainriver love Ever Elizabeth Abernathy.

No you don't!

Yes you do!

Do not!

Do too!

Do not!

Do too!

Gawsh, Kenton how old are you? Five? No, I'm 15. I should probably stop arguing with myself.

But you are _in _love with a 12-year-old? That's like...almost pedophilia. Gross!

* * *

_Haymitch..._

I watched Ever's friends and uncles answer Caesar Flickerman's questions. I'm next.

Lovely.

"Haymitch, pay attention!" The interviewer hisses it's almost your turn.

I roll my eyes. _Lovely._


	16. Sick Little Games

Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games. If I did, Prim and Finnick and Chaff and Seeder wouldn't have died. And they did. And Haymitch would have stopped drinking after the Rebellion. He didn't. :(

* * *

**Sick Little Games**

* * *

_Haymitch..._

"So Haymitch, word has it that Ever is your daughter?"

I take a deep breath and answer, "Yes."

"Is it true that her mother was a tribute in the 60th games and died a tribute?"

I wince, "Yes."

"Are you relieved that your daughter made it this far."

"Yes."

"Is yes the only word you know?"

"No."

The interviewer's eyebrow twitches. "Ever is 12, I understand?"

"Yes, she is 12." I decide to cooperate.

"What is she like at home?"

"Honestly?"

"Honestly, yes, please."

I smile. "Ever is pretty much the same at home. The Games haven't changed her. She is still the same little girl she was before the Games." _The audience likes the details._

"How has it been raising her alone for 12 years?"

"That's personal."

"Please?"

"Fine. It was really difficult at first, but eventually the two of us figured it out."

"What will you do if Ever wins?"

"I don't see why I should treat her any differently." I say a little harshly.

"Wouldn't that put you two on an equal playing field?"

"She will still be my daughter and I will still be her father. Victor or not, she will have to listen to me." I joke.

The interviewer laughs. "Does your daughter have such a sense of humor?"

"She's completely weird, if that answers your question."

"Isn't that mean?"

"Nope. She takes weird as a compliment."

* * *

_Robbie..._

Slate and I allied with each other two days ago and it has been paying off immensely. There's just one problem.

Ever Abernathy is still alive. "Slate, when can I kill her?"

"Later, Robbie."

"Slate, listen. Ever has been on my kill list since that day at the reaping. I want her dead."

"Why do you want her dead so badly?"

"She is from my district. If District 12 is going to have a victor this year, it will be me. Not that baby."

Slate shakes his head. "No. No your hatred stems deeper than that. Why do you hate her so much?"

I snap a stick in two. "Haymitch."

"Her father."

"Yes."

Slate shakes his head. "Robbie you have to be honest with me. I was honest with you when I told you why _I _cannot be the one to kill her."

"Oh yes. That 'touching' story about your little sister Fawn and how she looks too much like Ever to kill her. Really Slate."

He smirked, "Perhaps even the most bloodthirsty monsters have weaknesses. Am I right?"

"In your case." I say, taking a bite out of the bighorn sheep we killed today.

* * *

_Plutarch Heavensbee, Gamemaker..._

Seneca Crane yawns. "These Games are getting rather dull."

"So? What do you expect _me _to do about it?" I ask emotionlessly.

Seneca grins. "You choose, Plutarch. Man-eating birds with razor beaks or another firestorm?"

I shake my head. "No Seneca. More options."

"Very well then. How about we do the birds, but also send and earthquake?"

"What is it with you and those birds? How about we do an earthquake and a firestorm, but limit the storm to a specific area."

Xander Gust speaks next. "Senaca, I have a suggestion."

"What is it Xander?"

"I say we go with Plutarch's suggestion. Firestorm in a specific area and an earthquake...a big one. I'm talking toppling buildings and the like. We also should send the birds. Once we have one more tribute dead I say Seneca should invite them to a feast. Most if not all tributes will be injured after that earthquake."

Seneca grins wickedly. "Xander, that is excellent!" He turns the timer dial in the control room and presses some buttons on the panel. "In fifteen minutes," he pauses for dramatic effect. "The trials will start."

* * *

_Ever..._

Zayna and Zephyr went to get more water over an hour ago. Asia and I were starting to get worried.

"AVERT YOUR EYES!" Asia shouts as Zephyr kisses Zayna once they return.

I let my tongue hang slightly out of my mouth and I press my right index finger to it to signify throwing up.

Zayna smirks and kisses Zephyr back.

"Oh, really you guys! I'm about to shoot you both in the butt with a dart!" Asia exclaims.

"What with the making out?"

"Zeph just saved my life." Zayna says softly.

"What? How?"

Her face goes pale. "There were these birds...they well they-" She lifts up her pant leg. "Look."

I almost throw up. I also wonder why I never saw it earlier. Blood is practically pouring from a gaping wound in her leg. There is a lot of dirt and grime inside the wound. "Zayna, what happened?"

"The birds. They're man-eating." Zephyr says, staring blankly ahead.

"How did you two get away?" Asia asks.

"You know how my backpack came with a box of matches?" Zeph asks.

We nod.

"I was panicked, so I lit a match...the birds? They _fear _fire! They _fear _it!" He exclaims with a proud grin. Asia and I congratulate him on his discovery.

"Zayna." I say seriously.

"What is it?"

"We really need to take care of that leg." I tell her.

"I know."

"Some bandages!" I shout to our sponsors. Almost immediately a little silver parachute falls from the sky and lands in my hand. Inside is a large amount of gauze for wrapping the wound along with a piece of District 3 breath, District 9 bread and District 12 bread. A loaf from each District that we represented. Another parachute follows. There is a metal bowl just small enough to not be called a pot or a pan. "What do we do with this?" I ask.

"We have to heat up water to clean it." Zeph explains.

"I'll start it." I say.

"Why didn't our sponsors send us some medicine for it?" Asia asks angrily.

"If three loaves of bread, a metal bowl and a bunch of gauze cost so much that all of our mentors had to chip in...can you imagine how expensive medicine would be?" Zephyr answers. Asia is silent.

I heat up the water and tear off a section of gauze. "We have to clean it with water and a rag first." Zayna nods. She winces as the heated gauze touches the gaping wound. "You need me to stop?" She shakes her head and grins and bears it.

* * *

_Amity Taryn..._

I sit inside the first shelter Robbie, Hollie and I made.

Stupid Robbie.

Stupid Hollie.

I don't need them anyway. I can win on my own.

I will win.

I sit up and start walking toward the Cornucopia. The feast should start soon and I will have prime opportunity to kill the other tributes.

Because I don't need anything. There is nothing Seneca Crane could provide for me that I don't already have.

I have food. Water. Matches. I can win. I will win.

All of a sudden, I feel really warm. Then I am engulfed by flames.

My name is Amity Taryn, a tribute from District 2 in the 72nd Annual Hunger Games. I thought I could win, but instead...

I died.

* * *

_Ever..._

Zephyr and I finish cleaning Zayna's wound and wrap the gauze around it. "It's almost time for Seneca Crane to invite us to that feast." I say. "Maybe they will have Zayna's medicine."

"We can only hope." Zeph says.

* * *

Starting now:

I've decided that when I put up song titles as the chapter titles or song lyrics or poem lines at the top of chapters whoever can guess the song artist or poem gets a one-shot dedicated to them. OR they can request a one-shot or a fic and I will gladly write it. :D

**So, who sings the song Sick Little Games?**

Also, the poll on my profile will be closed January 9th. That leaves two days for anyone else who hasn't voted to vote. Now, I may or may not make my decision from the results. I just want a general idea.


	17. Waiting For The End

Disclaimer: I do not own THG. Wish I did but I don't.

Also, another song title title :]

I am working on the oneshot dedicated to those who guess the last one correctly. Oh, and Google doesn't count as cheating in my book =)

Again, if anybody has a fic or a oneshot request, I would be happy to accept requests.

The feast is split into two parts. This part, an another.

* * *

Waiting For The End

* * *

_Ever..._

It was an automatic reflex what I just did. I cannot believe that I actually did it _again, _and not in the good proud way either. I took another life, this time with my bow and arrow. How did that even _happen_? I didn't really mean to kill City and Trendy days earlier. I didn't mean to kill her either. Or did I? I moved automatically so does that count as meaning to do it? Or could it be forgiven and counted as an accident?

How did this happen anyway?

Oh.

I remember now:

Zayna's leg is starting to look really bad, it must have gotten infected before Zephyr and I could clean it. She can't even walk without being in pain or getting nauseous and there is increased swelling, redness and heat coming from the wound. Not that we expected any different, seeing as those birds nearly took off her leg yesterday.

I inch closer to the small fire we had built minutes earlier. "She needs something for that leg." I say to Zephyr.

"I know." He says.

It happens so suddenly.

What happens next I mean.

The earth begins to shake violently and I cannot stand up. I hear a buildings crumble. Luckily, the four of us are near trees so we don't get pummeled with bricks and glass. Asia shrieks. "The birds! Zeph it's the birds!" Zephyr is holding Zayna, trying to protect her. A bird takes a bite out of his left arms. Asia reaches into her backpack and pulls out a match. She lights it and throw it on the nearest bird, burning it. The one beside it squawks and flies away. The third bird however is braver than his friends. Asia lights another and throw it on the third bird. It too burns to death.

Just as suddenly as it started, it stopped. We looks around at the damage. The tall, crumbling building? Glorified piles of dust and glass. The tall trees? Few stand as proudly.

One last sudden thing happens:

"Good afternoon Slate Fallon, Zayna Code, Zephyr Polyoxyl, Hollie Stern, Asia Hedvigg, Ever Abernathy and Robert Hester. There are seven of you left. I am afraid Amity Taryn fell for one our tricks yesterday...pity. I am inviting the seven of you to a feast and please do note; I have something each of you need. I hope to see you soon."

The voice of Seneca Crane disappears.

"What do we do?" Asia asks.

"We go to the feast at the Cornucopia." Zephyr says.

"Zeph! It'll be a bloodbath!" I argue.

"He has something we need. Zayna's medicine." He argues back.

"I know, but we can't all go and possibly survive-"

"We can't all _not _go and hope to survive either, can we?" He retorts. "Crane said he has something _each _of us needs. There is something for all of us, not just Zayna there." He has a point. Reluctantly, Asia and I agree to go to the Cornucopia.

"If I die, I'm going to kill you." I tell Zephyr as we approach it. Zeph grins just before we see Slate Fallon run for a backpack. I prepare to shoot him with my bow and arrow before Zephyr makes me lower it.

"Not now."

I bite my lip and nod. "No!" I whisper. I see Robbie follow Slate. "Robbie! He's going to kill you!" I scream before I can stop myself. Slate and Robbie share devious looks before heading toward where my voice came from. _They're- they're allies..._

Suddenly, all six of us are standing there at the Cornucopia. Where's Hollie Stern?

"Hello Ever." Robbie says grinning. "How are you holding up here?"

I smile shyly. "Fine."

"I hope you know I meant what I said earlier." Slate chips in, running his fingers across the blade of his scythe.

"About?"

"Next time you meet me...you won't be so lucky."

I swallow.

"YAH!" screams a barbaric voice behind us.

I hear Asia gasp for air. Hollie Stern of District 7 is now strangling her.

It happens like lightning. I pull an arrow from my quiver and shoot it into Hollie's spine. She gasps and just like that...she is dead.

* * *

_Who sings Waiting For the End? (This one is really current)_

I am almost done with the oneshot dedicated to those who got the first one right.


	18. The Catalyst

Disclaimer: I do not own THG. Wish I did but I don't.

Also, another song title title :]

* * *

**The Catalyst**

* * *

cat·a·lyst  
_noun_ \ˈka-tə-ləst\

2 **:** an agent that provokes or speeds significant change or action

* * *

_Haymitch..._

"No! No! Get away from her!" I scream as Robbie and Slate move toward Ever.

"Haymit-"

"Ever, move!"

"Haymitch." Raewyn says softly. If I wasn't beside her I would not have just heard that.

"Don't 'Haymitch' me! He's going to kill her! You've heard him!"

"Sh...just wait Haymitch. There's many possibili- LOOK!" She screams, pointing at the screen. Asia runs off to grab the backpack with Zayna's medicine, Zephyr pulls Zayna off to the side, Ever, Slate and Robbie are standing looking at each other while the girl from 7 is now lying dead at the Cornucopia with an arrow in her spine. At first I think it is Zayna Code's arrow. Then I remember she can barely move her one leg. That means...

"_Arahh!_" Robbie lunges at her with his bare hands. Ever screams as Robbie tackles her to the ground. He whips out a knife and holds it to her throat. He keeps all of his weight on her. "This is going to be fun..."

* * *

_Robbie..._

I can't believe Abernerdy actually killed somebody. Slate told me he's seen her kill before, but...wow. Seems like that's an invitation to kill. I'm cool with that. "_Arahh!_" I lunge at her with my bare hands. Ever screams as I tackle her. I pull out a knife and hold it to her throat. I keep all of my weight on her. "This is going to be fun. Cutting you open and watching your crimson blood flow like a river. Tasting it in the air...they say blood is thicker than water. I would really like to test that theory."

I expertly draw a line near her collar bone with the point of the knife, a thin trail of red following where the point led. "Tell me this Ever. Do you ever wonder what's under your skin? Besides blood of course."

She shakes her head. "N-no."

"Too late. You're finding out." I raise the knife, prepared to plunge it into her heart.

"Zephyr! NO!"

My knife hits someone.

But it is not my twelve year old target.

It is eighteen year old Zephyr Polyoxl from District 3. The knife is sticking out of his back. There is blood lost, but not enough to kill him...damn.

What he does next shocks me. He reaches behind his back and yanks it out of his skin. He winces from the pain but other that than doesn't indicate that it bothers him. _Thud! _The knife falls to the ground. ''You should really learn to pick on the big kids, Hester." He pulls out his own knife.

Despite this act of bravery, his knife is no match for the sword Slate's mentors sent. Funny thing is...they sent it for me. Not Slate. I admire the sword before pulling it out. I go to stab him through the heart. He dodges it. This game continues for quite a while. Slate and Ever just stand there while we fight.

"Hu-!" I smile, sure that I finally killed him. I have to blink to be sure of what I see. The girl from nine is pinned to the ground by the sword through her abdomen.

_Boom!_

There's the cannon.

I didn't kill Ever yet. She is next. I pull the sword from the dead girl's abdomen, ready to do the same thing to Ever.

"Robbie." Slate says, keeping an iron grasp on my arm. "Save it for later. The Capitol audience won't take kindly if you end the Games early by killing everybody."

I smirk. "I won't kill everybody. Just you." I impale his arm with the sword and kick his scythe away from him. I must have hit a vein because blood is pouring out of the stab wound. Finally, I pierce him through the abdomen like I did with the girl from District nine. Lastly, because he was my ally, I decapitate him.

"Who's next?" I grin, turning around before frowning to myself. I look up at my three fellow competitors. "On second thought...the three of you can go get your backpacks. I'll let you three live for today. I expect to hunt you down tomorrow. Happy Hunger Games and may the odds be ever in your favor." I say, walking off. The three of them let me go out of shock.

This should be interesting.

* * *

_Who sings The Catalyst?_


	19. Starts With Goodbye

Disclaimer: I do not own THG. Wish I did but I don't.

Also, another song title title :]

The first oneshot is complete! It is titled Control and it is about Foxface! Yay, Foxface!

* * *

**Starts With Goodbye**

* * *

_Ever..._

When Robbie is finally out of sight I scream.

I do not stop to think about how Robbie could have become so evil.

I just scream because it is the only thing I can think to do.

I do not run and chase after him.

I just scream because I do not have the energy to do anything else.

I do not cry. I do not rock myself back and forth. I do not ask why.

I just scream because there is nothing else _to _do.

Finally I stop screaming. My throat is sore and my voice is scratchy when I whisper, "Here come the hovercrafts." Zayna nods somberly as they lift first Hollie's body, then Asia's, then Slate's. Zephyr is breathing heavily while leaning against a tree.

"Zeph honey are you okay?" Zayna asks, moving to stand up. The medicine is taking instant effect. Her leg is still in pain but she can walk on in. Zeph nods. Zayna screams. "Blood!"

"He's loosing a lot of blood. We need something to clot it." I turn my head to the sky where I am sure there are cameras. "Anything?" It is almost hilarious how soon a silver parachute falls into Zayna's palm. The contents of the parachute are two small gadgets I have never seen before. I give my friends questioning looks.

"It's a medical device in District 3." Zayna explains.

"Our mentor Beetee invented it." Zeph adds, wincing as the device touched his stab wound on his back. Zayna and I give him about an hour to recuperate before we bombard him with questions.

"Honey how are you feeling?"

"Where are we going to go next, Zeph?"

"Getting stabbed hurts, doesn't it?"

"Do we have enough food to camp out here?"

"Do you need bandages?"

"On second thought, we should leave. Robbie will find us if we stay. What should be do next?"

"Stop it! Both of you!" He shouts, mostly to me. I can understand why. Before Slate killed him, Colton was the leader. Though Zephyr was older, Colton was just a tad smarter. After he died, Zephyr was automatically put in charge. The responsibility and expectations are too much for him.

"Hon-"

"No Zayna. For five minutes I want you to just listen to me. Both of you."

"O-okay."

Zephyr stares down at his feet for a while before looking up at us. "_We _are not going to do anything. I've come to a decision. I think we should split up...the three of us."

Zayna's jaw drops.

"He...he has a point Zayna. Now that Asia, Hollie, and Slate are gone; it's just the three of us plus Robbie. We only have one enemy. What happens when we kill him?"

Zayna opens her mouth to protest, but doesn't. "I- I guess you guys are right."

Zephyr stands up and walks over to Zayna. He kisses her gently before whispering something to her. She nods and kisses him back. "Ever." He says, turning to me and hugging me like an older brother. "Good luck kid." He kisses Zayna one last time before walking off.

Leaving us.

The two of us watch him leave until we cannot see him anymore. I am prepared to see Zayna walk off in another direction but she doesn't. "Aren't we going to split up too?"

She shakes her head. "Zeph said- he said he wanted me to stay with you just for this last night. We'll split up in the morning."

"Zayna you don't have t-"

"Yes. I do. Besides...it can't hurt."

I nod and allow her to stay. Together, we search for a new place to stay. We walk into a building that toppled over in the previous earthquake. It seems like a nice safe little place to spend the night. Haha! Safe. I made a funny.

Zayna tells me to start a fire and I do. We eat the rest of the bread and fruit, not bothering to save any. Tomorrow, one or both of us will be dead. Hopefully one of us will be crowned victor tomorrow. "Lat me fix your hair for you." Zayna says.

"W-what?"

"I want to fix your hair. It looks terrible." She says bluntly.

"Er, okay." I say, taking out the two low pigtails Cinna had given me. They now look horrible; I've no idea why I never pulled them out before. Maybe it was me trying to hold on to the last act of kindness I saw outside this arena.

"I like the pigtails you had. Do you mind if I just do those again?"

"Go ahead."

"Cool." She says softly as she starts on the first pigtail. When she finishes the last one she lies down next to the fire and says, "You and I aren't much different. You know that, right?"

"Really?"

"Uh huh. We're in the same boat when it comes to the Games."

"How? You have a shot. I don't."

She shakes her head. "You killed two Careers and the girl from 7. You have a shot." I swallow. I hate myself for killing them. "Right...sorry. But anyway, the Games have affected us in the same way. All of our parents were tributes. Only difference is, your father got to live."

I nod slowly. "I'm sorry. Again."

"Don't be. It isn't your fault. And also, that isn't the only similarity I see."

I am puzzled. "What else?"

"Neither of us are prepared to kill again. If I win...I may go insane yet."

"Zayna, you're already insane."

She giggles. "Do you have a boy back home?"

"Huh, what?"

"I said, do you have a boy back home?" She repeats with a grin.

* * *

_Haymitch..._

Finnick, Chaff and Seeder all went back to the hotel hours ago. As did all of the mentors from 4 except for Truly. The only people who should be here are any die-hard Games fan Career mentors, the mentors from 3, and myself. Which makes sense because the only mentors in here are Calendar and Crayon; Enobaria, Brutus and Gunther; Zora and Beetee; Truly; myself- plus one extra mentor.

I bet you can't guess who it is...well okay, it is not that hard to guess who it is.

It's Raewyn. She is stretching her legs out next to me on the bench we share. She has her jacket bunched up and is using it as a pillow next to me. She has to be a saint. Staying here when both of her tributes are dead and she has no obligation to stay, sneaking me money just so I can keep my daughter alive; and perhaps her most amazing feat- not loosing her patience with me as I behave like a hormonal pregnant woman.

An automatic action takes over me. I brush the hair out her face, causing her to shift her sleepy eyes to me. "You know you don't have to stay if you don't want to stay."

She grins sleepily. "I want to stay...unless _you _would rather me not." I repeat: she must be a saint.

I shake my head quickly. "Stay. Please. It's not to have y- someone- here." _Haymitch she's married! Don't make it sound like you think of her as something more...sure, she's beautiful but that's really not your concern. Besides, you're just friends. You haven't looked at a woman in over 12 years. Or a man for that matter._

She grins before laying her head back down on her jacket.

"That looks uncomfortable. Here." I take off my jacket and put it under hers.

"Thanks Haymitch." She says, sleepily sitting up and kissing my cheek. Good thing it's dark in here. She would have seen me move my hand to touch the spot where she kissed me. _I wonder what her husband is thinking. I hope he doesn't get angry. We're just friends!_

I hurry and turn my attention back to the screen just in time to hear Zayna Code ask, "Do you have a boy back home?"

"She better not!" I say loudly.

"Hm?" Raewyn mumbles, half asleep.

"Sorry never mind. Go back to sleep."

"'Kay."

Back to the screen:

"Huh, what?"

"I said, do you have a boy back home?" Zayna repeats with a grin.

Ever looks around nervously. "Not in that way. I mean, most of my friends are guys but drunk or not, Daddy would personally kill any boy who I had a crush on."

_Good answer baby girl._

Zayna laughs, "You're letting him scare you out of guys? There has to be _someone _you have a crush on."

"No...no there really isn't."

Zayna pouts. "That's sad...well, g'night!"

* * *

_Kenton District 12_

There will be a victor tomorrow. Three tributes will die. One will be crowned victor.

There is a 50-50 chance that the victor will be from District 12.

There is a 25-75 chance that it will be Ever.

There is a 75-25 chance that she will be one of the dead bodies tomorrow.

There is a 75-25 chance Robbie Hester will be her killer.

I don't factor the two from 3 into her possible killers list because they could never kill her.

I regret not sending her away with more said. What did I say to her again? Oh...that's right. Stuff like, 'find a bow and arrow; find a flail; you can win...'

I should have said something more.

I needed to say what I really thought when I said goodbye to her a little less than a month ago- "My life would suck without you, so hurry back pipsqueak."

I can't sleep. I turn on the television just in time to hear Zayna Code ask, "Do you have a boy back home?"

"No, no, no! Please no!" I exclaim.

Back to television:

"Huh, what?"

"I said, do you have a boy back home?" Zayna repeats with a grin.

Ever looks around nervously. "Not in that way. I mean, most of my friends are guys but drunk or not, Daddy would personally kill any boy who I had a crush on."

Zayna laughs, "You're letting him scare you out of guys? There has to be _someone _you have a crush on."

"No...no there really isn't."

Zayna pouts. "That's sad...well, g'night!"

* * *

_Who sings **Starts With Goodbye**?_


	20. Fate Vol 1

A/N: This is one of the endings to the Games. The other ending will be posted shortly. I wrote two because I don't want flames saying if it is realistic or not. So if you don't like this one, no flames. Just forget this chapter happened and read the other ending. 'Kay?

No song title for this one

* * *

**Fate Vol. 1**

* * *

_Robbie..._

District 12 will have a victor this year.

It will be me. I just have to kill the lovebirds and a sniveling twelve year old girl. I'll be saving her for last.

* * *

_Ever..._

I wake up very late the next morning. The sun is high in the sky when I poke my head out out and I assume it is about noon. Zayna left while I was still asleep. She left her backpack here.

I crawl out of the shelter and opt to leave my backpack here, too. I can carry the bow and arrow. Within a matter of a few hours, there will a be a victor. What's the point in bringing survival gear?

I resist the urge to break down and cry. I know I will die today. My father will probably kill himself when I die.

Great just great.

* * *

_Zephyr..._

I want to scream.

I want to run to the big waterfall and drown.

But I don't.

There will be a victor today.

The victor will be from District 3.

Me.

* * *

_Zayna..._

I wake up early the next morning. The sun isn't even up. I sigh and kiss Ever's little forehead before I leave her. With her, I leave my backpack because I won't be needing it. All I need is my bow and arrow.

The victor will be crowned today.

Me.

* * *

_Kenton Rainriver, District 12..._

"Kenton, it's time for lunch." My mother says softly as she opens my bedroom door. The only light is the light from the small television set. She walks over and turns it off. I make a sound like an animal, causing Mother to scream.

"I'm not hungry."

"Kenton you haven't eaten in days." She says in a soft, high-pitched voice.

"Mother. Not. Hungry."

"You can't sit here and stare at the television again today."

"Try me."

"K-"

"Mother. Ever is my friend. I can't not see what happens."

She sighs, "We know what is going to happen. Why trouble yourself and watch the inevitable happen?"

"Mother. Please. Just go."

"Fine." _Clink, clink. _"When you decide to eat." She turns and leaves, leaving the plate of toast on the nightstand.

Oh gawd. I hate this. Why do I have to love Ever? I should just start drinking like Haymitch...then I'll be too drunk to think about it. No wonder the man drinks.

* * *

_Haymitch..._

The room is crowded again the next morning as victors and guests arrive. Finnick and Chaff give me pitying looks as they come to sit with Raewyn, Seeder (who arrived before them) and myself. It is almost as if they know Ever will die today. Even Raewyn who supplied most of the hope, is starting to seem like she knows it too. As much as I want to say I believe the opposite...I don't.

Never give up on your child, Haymitch.

How can I not give up at least little hope when the only people left aside from her are two people she could never kill and a bloodthirsty monster?

I hate this. I don't think I'll make it home to District 12. I think I'll just kill myself here in the Capitol.

Depends on if Robbie wins or not. I have to kill him first if he does.

Ugh, this still can't be happening. I still feel that at any moment I will wake up back home in Victor's Village and walk down the hall to find Ever fast asleep in her bed; safe and content. Minutes later Ever will wake up and make a comment about how messy the house is and she will yell at me until I agree to help clean something. If Ever wins, I promise I will clean that house more often.

She can't die, she just can't. The only reason I didn't kill myself when Rose died is because I had Ever to worry about. Twelve years later and that memory still haunts me. I wanted to die after that.

But I didn't. The only reason was a little four month old who slept through the whole thing. Without my daughter I would have nothing and no reason for living.

I hate these sick little Games.

* * *

_Ever..._

I don't know where I am supposed to go. Where seems like the best place to die? I suppose we should all meet up at the Cornucopia. I go towards it and climb a tree right next to it to watch for the others.

* * *

_Zayna..._

I don't head for the Cornucopia. Zephyr, Ever and Robbie will be there for sure. Robbie will kill everybody (save for me of course) so I'll kill him for revenge. Sounds like a good way to win.

"Zayna what are you doing here?" Asks a male voice.

* * *

_Zephyr..._

I hear footsteps heading in my direction...two sets of footsteps. I look around. Zayna? Robbie? Ever? Who? I gasp when I see Zayna. _No, no no! You can't kill her!_

I open my mouth, "Zayna! What are you doing here?" The words are never said by me. Another male voice beat me to it.

* * *

_Ever..._

After being up in that tree for at least half an hour I hear two cannons. Each one makes me clutch my stomach and hunch over. At least one of them is a friend of mine and the other is possibly my district partner. Yeah sure, he _is _a bloodthirsty maniac who wants nothing more than to kill me- but he's from home.

* * *

_Robbie..._

I see the District 3 girl. _What's her name? Zora? Zoe? Zaylie? Zasha? Oh I remember-! _"Zayna! What are you doing here?"

She whips around with a big grin, thinking it is her boyfriend. When she sees it is me, she gasps and draws an arrow, aiming at my heart. She pulls the string and I move to the right and extend my arm to catch the arrow. I snap it in half as she shoots another.

"You aren't going to kill me."

"ARAGHH!" The barbaric cry comes out of nowhere. Zayna's little boyfriend has a knife drawn. He knocked me to the ground when he sprung up and now has the knife pointed at me. "You remember when you stabbed me in the back?" He shoves the knife into my back in the same spot I stabbed him. I wince and use my strength to throw him off of me. I pull the knife out and throw it far from us. "That was my last knife." I hear him whisper to Zayna.

She bites her lip.

I laugh sinisterly. "This. I am enjoying this."

I pull the sword from the sheath and charge at the boy first.

The girl jumps in front of him, "No!"

I slice through her arm. The white bone bone of her forearm is showing. She screams from the pain and blood. She is too hurt to use her bow and arrow. Easy kill. I kick her out of the way and focus on the boy. "Your turn." He bites his lip.

"Go ahead." He says bravely.

"Perfect."

"Ugh!" The girl jumps in front of him right before I can stab him through the heart. I stab her through the heart instead. _Boom! _A canon. _Boom! _Another.

The sword pierced them both. I yank the sword from their chests so the hovercrafts could take care of the bodies.

One. Last. Delicious. Kill.

* * *

_Ever..._

I stay hidden in the tree after the cannons.

I am tempted to take a peek below when I hear footsteps, but I stay in the tree.

"Come on Ever! It's you and me! I've been waiting for this moment...the whole audience has been waiting!"

_Robbie...he-he killed them both? _I don't leave the tree just yet. I have to come up with a plan. I can't kill him. He's too fast, too bloodthirsty, too dangerous. _Or maybe I can. _I pull an arrow from my quiver and set up a shot. I aim it at Robbie's head. A shot to the brain from this distance? Deadly.

As if the universe is mocking me, Robbie takes two steps forward just before I pull the string.

Do you ever have those moment where before you do something you tell your brain to stop but your brain is set on doing what you already told it to do? Well, I am having one of those moment.

Before I can lower the bow and arrow I pull the string, missing Robbie's head and ultimately, giving away my position. He hears the arrow lodge itself in the ground. He examines it and smirks. His eyes move to the tree from where the arrow must have come. His eyes meet mine.

"Ever Abernathy. We meet again."

"Robbie." I say, jumping from the tree. I wasn't very high up.

"Who's throwing the first punch?"

"Gladly." I say, setting up an arrow and pointing it at him. "Aren't you gonna run?"

He grins. "No need to."

I shrug and glare at him. "Yah!" I release the arrow.

He ducks and unsheathes the sword at his side. He charges at me. I run and swiftly climb a tree. I am breathing so heavily that if this were hide-and-seek, I would loose. He laughs his sinister laugh. "Come out of that tree Abernerdy. Face your death with honor."

"Don't call me Aber_nerdy_!" I scream, letting my childishness take over for a moment. I swing out of the tree and land on him. Effortlessly, I am thrown off him. I stand up and back up about twenty feet. He does the same. I swiftly move and shoot an arrow. It hits him in the foot.

"You stupid whore!" He screams. His sword never pierces me all the way through. However I feel it slice just under my right eye. The blade cuts me several more times- arms, legs, twice in the abdomen. But never going through me. I don't scream, I bite my lip and pretend I don't feel the pain.

"Nice _accurate _use of 'whore.'" I say sarcastically, spitting blood out of my mouth.

"You're just like your father. That _really _pisses me off."

I smirk. "Cool. Huh-!" We both whip our heads around and see a dark figure from the woods. A bighorn? A gorilla?

Neither.

It's. A. Freaking. Unicorn. Yes. A. Unicorn.

Is that supposed to be scary? Because really, I just wanna pet it.

I take a step closer to the unicorn. It charges in a direction somewhere between Robbie and I. It is not until we could clearly see the animal's eyes that we notice the horn is razor sharp. I throw my hands over my eyes, expecting it to pierce through me like a shish kabob. I know I cannot outrun a creature like that.

I hear the sickening sound of skin being pierced through. I do not feel anything. I must be dead.

I am dead. I am one hundred ten percent sure I am dead. At least until Claudius Templesmith announces something from a hovercraft.

_"Ladies and gentlemen, the winner of the seventy-second Hunger Games- Ever Abernathy! The youngest victor in history!"_

"A unicorn! I won because of a freaking unicorn!" That is the last thing I say before passing out from blood loss.


	21. Fate Vol 2

A/N: This is one of the endings to the Games. The other ending will be posted shortly. I wrote two because I don't want flames saying if it is realistic or not. The reason I did alternate ending is yes, the previous reason- but also, my plan was to do this from the beginning. I grow attached to my OCs which isn't smart. XD.

I also plotted to kill Ever from the start as well, so here is the alternate ending to the Games.

No song title for this one

This chapter will be extremely short and starts _in medias res _(in the middle of things)

I will write two more chapters. One will be posted in this story as the ending and the other will be posted as a oneshot full of Haymitch angst! The title of it will simply be "Ever" and will be out tonight or tomorrow most likely. I am going away for the weekend so if it is not out tomorrow it will not be out 'till Sunday or Monday, nor will the final chapter here.

The sequel which will start during the victory tour. The sequel will be going from the first ending.

* * *

**Fate Vol. 2**

* * *

_Robbie..._

"You aren't going to kill me." I tell the District 3 girl.

"ARAGHH!" The barbaric cry comes out of nowhere. Zayna's little boyfriend has a knife drawn. He knocked me to the ground when he sprung up and now has the knife pointed at me. "You remember when you stabbed me in the back?" He shoves the knife into my back in the same spot I stabbed him. I wince and use my strength to throw him off of me. I pull the knife out and throw it far from us. "That was my last knife." I hear him whisper to Zayna.

She bites her lip.

I laugh sinisterly. "This. I am enjoying this." I pull the sword from the sheath and charge at the boy first.

"Run Zayna!" The boy says before dodging.

"But Zephyr-"

"Just. Go. Please!"

She turns to run away. I decide to let her go. Of course, she should see her boyfriend die first. "Yah!" I sever his spinal cord in front of her. She screams and tears up. "You wanna live, baby?" She is silent. "Run." She screams in terror and runs away.

* * *

_Ever..._

I hear the canon and decide to find a new hiding spot. Perhaps a nice shrub.

"Ever!" Zayna screams.

"Zayna-"

"Run! Run! Ever, Robbie's coming!"

I am panicked. _Robbie... _"Zayna what do I d-"

* * *

_Zayna..._

"Zayna what do I d-"

Robbie and that metal death stick appeared out of nowhere. Ever is has to be dead. A twelve year old girl is dead now. I wonder if Robbie is proud. He pulls the sword from Ever's nearly lifeless body and grins. "Your turn baby."

I pull out a knife and charge at him. Before he can ready his sword I knock it out of his grasp. He pulls out a knife. _Slash, slash, slash! _I drive my knife into his flesh he drives his blade into mine. I aim for kill spots he doesn't. I want to end this now he wants me to suffer a slow death.

He suddenly gains the upper hand when he throw me to the ground. I roll to my left with such force that he slips off me. I stab the knife into his clothes, pinning him to the ground. I pull an arrow from my quiver and move a few feet back. I aim at his heart and pull the string back as far as I can.

"What was that you told me earlier? 'You aren't going to kill me?' Guess again." I release the string. _Boom!_

_Where was Ever's canon?_

I rush over to her. "Ever? Ever sweetie?"

She weakly turns her head. "Hey...you-" She coughs. "-you won."

I shake my head. "Not yet. You're still alive."

She tries to laugh. "Not for long...can I ask one last favor?"

I realize I am crying. "Of course."

"Don't-" She can't finish her sentence.

"What is it, Ev?"

"Don't destroy yourself because of the arena. My father did. His best friend did. They all d-"

"Shh, shh. Just close your eyes sweetie. You got further than anybody would have thought. I will do that last favor for you- no drinking, no cigarettes and no morphling."

She manages a smile. "Good. Oh and tell Daddy I said goodbye. And I-" Her smile fades from the pain.

"Shh. Pretend you're going to sleep. I will tell him all of that, don't you worry."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

She grabs my hand and I grab hers. She squeezes my hand as hard as she could, using all of her remaining strength to do so. I return the gentles squeeze and lean over to kiss her little cheek. She smiles her last smile. Breathes her last breath. _Boom! _A canon breaks the silence.

_"Ladies and gentlemen! The victor of the seventy-second Hunger Games- Zayna Code of District 3!"_

I sink to my knees and let it all soak in. I get to go home. Zora and I can still be best friends. I can forget about this damned arena and everything that goes with it.

But do I really want to forget? Do I really want to forget Zephyr and Colton and Asia and Ever?

No.

Instead I will keep Ever's dying wish. I won't destroy myself with drink, cigarettes or morphling.

Two hovercrafts come to retrieve the bodies. I gasp when I remember what Ever has around her neck. It is almost humorous how fast I move to her body. Just before the claws of the hovercraft come to pick her up I yank the chain off of her neck. I think her father would like to have her token.

A hovercraft comes to pick me up.

Me.

Zayna Code. Age 18. Tribute in- no!- victor of the 72nd Annual Hunger Games.


	22. Victors Never Really Win

It is only fitting that I use Ever as my disclaimer~~

Disclaimer: Hello readers! Thanks for sticking around so long. McKala owns ME. Please don't steal me because I am her fanfic baby. The author does not own my father or the other mentors- unless you count my dad's married girl*cough*friend*cough* who he is just friends with. I am very upset that McKala killed all of my friends, but it was pretty epic that a unicorn killed Robbie. I will never look at those kick-ass facial horns the same...

There is new poll up on my profile. I will keep it open until Jan. 18th. (Tomorrow afternoon)

Last chapter of this story!

Wow! I was reading this story and I have TONS of typos and grammar corrections. I shall slowly but surely fix those.

Also, I was thinking of having Ever go by her middle name "Elizabeth," formally. Friend would still call her Ever, but Capitol people and sponsors would know her as Elizabeth. It just seems more formal.

Haymitch will be acting a little OOC at the end here, but I think it's fine considering:

1. He is sober.

2. It's his daughter he is talking to.

3. I consider him rather wise when he is not intoxicated.

4. So there! :D

* * *

**Victors Never Really Win **

* * *

_Haymitch..._

Ever won the Hunger Games two days ago and I have yet to see her. Not from lack of effort of course; it's the Capitol's fault. The want the father/daughter reunion on camera. They haven't even let me peek through the window in the Capitol Hospital to get a look at her. As if having to watch her fight for her life wasn't enough, I get to prolong the suffering after she has won.

I just love this.

Raewyn and Chaff had stayed with me most of the time while I waited thus far. Raewyn's husband and four of their children had arrived in the Capitol the day after the Games were over. Her husband has been on Raewyn like static cling since he got here, and every time she even takes a step near me he distracts her. I hate jealous husbands. Let the woman have a social life.

"Haymitch Abernathy."

I turn to face President Snow. "President Snow."

Raewyn and William, her husband, see him and give each other a look. "We'll give you two some privacy." Chaff nods and follows them.

"What do you want?" I ask Snow.

"I am warning you Haymitch. Be careful what you and your daughter do or say. I can make her an orphan with two words. I can make you a grieving father with three."

"You won't have to worry about anything, Mr. President." I say quietly.

"Good. Perfect. I hope you two can give us a wonderful reunion." He says before walking away.

I bite my lip to keep from shouting at him.

"What did Snow want?" A female voice whispers in my ear.

"Where's William? Shouldn't he be making sure we are standing a hundred yards apart?" I joke.

Raewyn laughs, "I really don't care what my husband thinks right now. My friend is going insane right now and I should make sure you go ins- I smell bacon!"

"It's not _my _sanity I am worried about." I laugh.

She frowns. "Nope. No bacon. Maybe I'm just craving bacon. Oh my gosh! Do you think I'm pregnant? I always crave bacon when I'm pregnant. Did I have sex in the past three weeks? No, I don't think so. You, Chaff and Finnick are the only guys I hung around for like, the past month. I don't think I'm pregnant. I think I just really want bacon. Does that sound logical?"

I laugh hysterically. "And I thought you were the _sane _one!"

"Raewyn, I've been looking for you." William Hemsworth says sternly, glaring bombs at me.

"Sorry. I was just telling Haymitch it is inappropriate to sexually harass married women." She slaps my hand. "Shame on you."

William glares. "What?"

"Will! I am just joking! My goodness, Haymitch has more respect and decency than that." She says, trying to keep a straight face.

"Very fun-"

"Haymitch! Haymitch!" Cinna is breathing heavily. "Come on-" he tosses me some clothes. "Hurry and change into those. The hospital released Ever, I have...twenty minutes to get her ready for the victor interview."

"Cinna-" I look at the clothes.

"They're nothing crazy, just a cleaner and newer version of what you have on now."

"Jeans and a shirt?"

"Exactly." He says, rushing off.

* * *

_Ever..._

I am alive.

I am alive.

I am alive.

I. Am. Alive!

The feeling is just so surreal. I was sure I would die in that arena but for some odd reason I got to live. I got to live and here I am! My prep team is fussing about some Capitol gossip. I hear nothing until Venia says, "Let's go get Cinna!" My face lights up. _Cinna._

"Good evening Ever."

"Hey Cinna!" I cheer. "Er, can I not be naked now?"

He grins, "Here you are."

I stare at the black material as he hands it to me.

"You'll love it. It is just your style." I nod and put it on. The little black dress is pleated and spins out when I twirl or even just make a quarter turn. I stand there admiring it until Cinna laughs, "You like it, I assume?"

I nod. "I like, it's just...I look terrible. I lost so much weight."

Cinna nods. "Hm, try putting this on." He passes me a small black jacket. It covers my arms, which is good.

I sigh, "Is this the last interview with Caesar I have to do?"

"The last. For now at least."

"Good. I hate doing these."

* * *

_Haymitch..._

I feel the urge to start biting my nails...but I don't. I am actually dreading seeing my daughter after the Games. She will have have lost a lot of weight and will look unhealthy, especially since she is only 12 and tiny to begin with. More importantly, she killed three people in the arena. Twice in self-defense and once to protect a friend. I killed many more than she did so I am not repulsed by that. I am, however, dreading what will surely be her new new personality. She will no longer be a sweet little girl. She will be an adult.

All grown up at the age of twelve. This isn't what Rose and I wanted for her at all.

* * *

_Ever..._

I wince as the highlights of my Games flash before me on the screen. All of the death...I hated living through it and I would rather not relive it.

Caesar starts with the questions. I answer them the best I can.

I don't want this. What I really want is to go home to District 12. I want to go home to Victor's Village, to the house I live in with my father. There is no way I will move into my own. I think I will give mine to Josh and Ivy and their family, or Kenton and his. Damien's family makes out just fine on their own.

"Ever, have you and your father spoken since your victory?"

I furrow my brow and answer. "No, not at all. The hospital people wouldn't let him see me. I was about to go all psycho chick on them."

Caesar laughs then grins. "Why don't we bring him out?"

"Really?"

"Really."

As soon as I see him, my face lights up. He rushes to me and gives me a bone-crushing hug. I gasp for air, "Chocking, not breathing!"

"I don't care!" There is something in his voice, something I have never heard before. It takes a moment for me to realize it, but he is crying, actually _ crying_. I can hardly believe it.

"You don't have to cr-"

"Yes I do." He moves his hand to my hair and plays with a piece of it. "We'll have to let it grow out again."

"I like it short." I lie.

"I liked your hair long." He says, still refusing to break the embrace.

"Are you done suffocating me?"

"I love you sweetheart." He stops hugging me and avoids eye contact. He is embarrassed about me seeing him cry.

* * *

_Haymitch..._

The rest of the interview flew by. It was annoying, but worth it. We are on the train home now. It is just Ever and myself at the table eating dinner. I notice she isn't wearing her token which she hasn't taken off since Rexton gave it to her. "Where's your token?"

"With everything else of mine on the train." She says cooly.

I nod slowly. "Are you excited about seeing everybody back home?"

She scoffs, "Everybody? You mean my four real friends and a bunch of guys that only talk to me when they have nobody better to talk to? Not really. Most of them probably won't talk to me anymore. They'll be too afraid that I'll kill them when they aren't looking."

I gasp at what she just said. "Yes, but I also mean your uncles and cousins. They'll be happy to see you."

She shakes her head. "Uncle Rexton won't look at me the same. Uncle Raphael always hated me and will wish I died in the arena. My cousins will be too afraid of me. Face it, Daddy. Victors never really win. We get the title, the money- but we loose everything that really has value."

I shut up after that. My daughter knows too much for her young age. I really hope she still has people to come home to after this.

"I'm going to go to sleep. Goodnight." She says angrily.

"Night baby girl."

She glares at me. "I'm hardly a girl anymore." And with that she walks off, leaving me stunned. She was so sweet during the final interview. So loving. Now that I am alone with her, I see how the arena has changed her. I stand up and go to where she is supposed to be sleeping. I knock on the door. "Ugh, come in."

"Ever-"

"Don't even."

"Ever Elizabeth, just shut the hell up and listen for five fucking minutes!" I yell. She still has a hard look on her face but she is now biting her lip. I only occasionally yell at her, hardly swear at her and never use the F word around her. She knows I am angry.

"Yes sir."

"Ever look," I say sitting next to her. "I know that the arena leaves physical, mental and emotional scars. I know that it changes people. Believe me when I say that I know it first hand."

She rolls her eyes, "Whatever."

"You know Chaff, right?"

She grins slightly, "Of course."

"He and I both went down the same path after winning and it is the wrong one...did I ever tell you what happened after I won the Games? How life was?"

I sparked her curiosity. Her faces softens and she says, "No."

I take a deep breath and tell her:

"When I was twelve years old, my father was hung publicly for hunting. My mother, younger brother and I were forced to watch. The Peacekeepers wanted to teach us a lesson- and they did. Just not the right one. My mother and I learned to simply be more careful when we went hunting. I tried to teach Dionysus- my brother- but he freaked out every time I or my mother killed something. When I was fifteen, my name was in thirty-six times. I took tesserae every year to help feed my family. My name should have only been in there thirty-_two _times, but for my third and last Reapings I was able to sneak tessera an extra time.

It was the second Quarter Quell- the 50th Games. The twist this time around was four tributes from each district had to be sent to the Capitol. Two boys, two girls. The girls were chosen first. Tanya Herring and Maysilee Donner. Then the boys were reaped. First my best friend Tristan Moriano was chosen. My name was pulled next. It was my mother's worst nightmare; nobody from District 12 wins of course. Dionysus was only ten years old and knew nothing about hunting or survival.

My mother pretty much knew all three of us were doomed to die soon.

In the Games, I somehow made it to the final two. It was me and one of the Career girls. Both of us were inches from death and I would have died if she hadn't thrown her axe at me and missed. The axe fell over the cliff and popped back up, lodging itself into her skull. I was then crowned victor. I won because I figured out something I wasn't supposed to and made the Capitol look stupid. President Snow didn't appreciate that very much.

Ten days after I won my girlfriend at the time was hung for hunting. I knew Snow planned it because Natalie was just like my brother; neither of them could stand killing an animal.

The days later- thirteen days after I won- my mother and brother were 'accidentally' shot through the head by Peacekeepers who claimed they were too close to fence...I noticed two blood trails just outside of Victor's Village proving the Peacekeepers did it on purpose.

The day after that I bought my first bottle. By noon I had bought five more. Three were gone before the sun even set. I had a killer hangover the next morning, but I decided hangovers weren't that bad if drinking helped me forget and feel numb; which it did.

The Reaping next year is when I first decided to stop drinking. I tried to make sure one of them made it home; neither did. The same thing happened the next year and the next. After that third year I decided to close myself off from the tributes as I did the rest of the world. My first year as a mentor, I met the mentor from 11. He was a lot like me and we were soon best friends. Chaff did the same thing I did after his Games- only his whole family wasn't murdered. He turned to the bottle because he didn't want to remember the arena and that was the sole reason.

Year after year Chaff and I would be at home in our respective districts drinking until we were sick, living with hangovers. Eventually some girl in 11 got to Chaff. He stayed sober while he was with her. She was Kieran and Miranda's mom. I used to make fun of Chaff all the time for being as whipped as he was...that is of course, until I fell in love with my brother's former best friend. Your mom. She and I became very close over the years. You uncle Raphael didn't approve- she being 15, 16 and 17 and I being 22, 23 and 24. But it wasn't and still isn't uncommon for that to happen in District 12 and therefore completely legal.

It was Chaff's turn to make fun of me. We had a good time teasing each other about it until Chaff's wife died because she tried to stop Peacekeepers from whipping her brother for stealing food. He started drinking again and Kieran and Miranda suffered because of it. I promised myself I wouldn't do the same thing to you- once you were born of course. You weren't born yet."

I pause to look at Ever. She is listening carefully. "Continue, come on!"

I smile. "Three months later, you came along. That was truly the best day of my life. I held you and you looked right at me. Rose and I would argue who was your favorite- by the way, it was always me."

Ever giggles.

"Four months later, your mom volunteered as a tribute in her thirteen year old cousin's- Sage's- place. She was killed by her district partner. I did the very thing I promised I wouldn't do. I started drinking again. At first, it was just to get a little drunk, not wasted. But you started growing up and didn't need constant attention- remember? I used to be sober most of the time when you were very little."

She thinks for a moment. "I remember. I was five or six when the drinking got bad."

I nod, "Yes. That's when I started the drinking again."

She gives me a pitying look. "I didn't know all of that happened to you- or Uncle Chaff for that matter."

I put my hands on her shoulders. "The point of telling you all of that is- I don't want you going down that same path of self destruction. Alcohol, morphling, cigarettes and even this personality change of yours...it isn't the right thing to do. If you change, the Capitol wins. You have to show them they lost. What you said earlier about how victors never really win is as true as it gets. But you can change that if you do one thing."

"What is it?"

"Don't change."

"How?"

"Still smile. Laugh. Be a kid. Be the same Ever Abernathy you always were." I say with a serious smile.

"But how do I stay the same? After what I saw-"

"You are more mature because of that. You saw first hand what the Capitol does. Don't do what I did. Don't do what Chaff did. Instead, do what Seeder and Raewyn did. Take that experience and use it so that you enjoy life and your childhood more. Take it and use it to your advantage."

I see a stray tear fall. "Thank you...I will."

I stand up and smile. "Oh, and Ever?"

"Yeah?"

"Never call me sir again. I'm your father."

"Yes sir." She says with a goofy grin.


End file.
